Karan Johar has finally broken his silence on accusations that he is responsible for “destroying careers” and perpetuating nepotism in Bollywood. Speaking on Raj Shamani’s podcast, Johar dismissed the “flagbearer of nepotism” tag, emphasizing his efforts to launch outsiders.
He highlighted actors like Adarsh Gourav, who debuted in My Name Is Khan, and claimed to have introduced around 50 actors and 25 directors from non-film backgrounds. Johar was annoyed that these efforts pass unnoticed while all the attention goes to star children like Sara Ali Khan and Janhvi Kapoor.
Johar said, “If I’ve launched 20 outsider directors, they’re intended to be captains of the ship. Why harp on about the stars only? Success for a film depends not just on actors but also on the rest of the crew.”
He also wondered why everyone gives him the credit for discovering outsiders but faults him for patronizing star children all the time. But Johar’s defense is not without debate. The late Sushant Singh Rajput’s troubled relationship with Johar is a painful reminder.
Sushant is said to have felt let down, particularly after being offered the below-par film Drive, which was released straight on OTT and tanked critically. Most feel that Johar lost the chance to support a talented outsider when he needed to most.
Though Johar is unjustly blamed for most of the problems in Bollywood, he also needs to accept his own mistakes. A balanced perspective demands that one see both his contribution to grooming talent and where he failed.
