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Karan Johar criticises Bollywood’s herd mentality, urging for originality. Read full story below.
Karan Johar bashes Bollywood’s ‘herd mentality’.
Karan Johar feels that one big problem in Bollywood right now is that too many people are copying what’s already worked, instead of coming up with fresh ideas. In a recent interview, he was asked what’s going wrong in the film industry these days. His answer was simple — it’s the herd mentality.
According to Karan, when one film becomes a hit, suddenly everyone wants to make the same kind of movie. But just because one story worked doesn’t mean another one will, especially if it lacks originality or soul. He believes that this habit of blindly following trends is hurting creativity and stopping the industry from moving forward.
Karan told Bollywood Hungama, “I think it is everybody grappling to do what others are doing. We see Pushpa running and catering so strongly to the tier-2 and tier-3 audiences, suddenly, we will see 20 others wanting to do the same. You see Chhaava working, everybody would want to make historicals. Stree and everybody wants to make horror comedies. Those worked because they were individually strong, and there was no other option in that genre. It was a unique thought that made those films work. “
He went on to add, “We all need to have individual thoughts that are unique to ourselves. Someone asked me the other day, ‘Do you have a universe?’ I was like, ‘As in?’ They were like, ‘A spy universe or a cop universe.’ I was like, ‘My universe is cinema itself.’ I am not here to build universes, I am here to tell stories. In that story if there’s a universe, then why not?”
Meanwhile, in the same interview, the filmmaker praised Shah Rukh Khan and Gauri Khan not just for their superstar status but for the way they’ve raised their children, Aryan and Suhana Khan. Calling Gauri the steady hand behind the family, Karan said, “Gauri Khan is always right.” He shared that she has become a huge source of parenting inspiration for him, especially when it comes to raising his twins, Yash and Roohi. “She is the backbone of the family, and has impeccable instincts,” he added.
Karan expressed his admiration for Aryan and Suhana, calling them humble, grounded, and deeply aware of the privilege they were born into. “They’re so well-raised and well-mannered; hard-working, yet hungry to achieve. They understand their privilege, and they never take advantage of it. They’re the simplest kids. In fact, Shah Rukh can indulge them and give them everything, but they want to make their own space in the world. I respect both of them for that immensely.”
Karan Johar recently attended the Cannes Film Festival for the premiere of Homebound, a film produced under his banner, Dharma Productions. The movie, directed by Neeraj Ghaywan, features Ishaan Khatter, Vishal Jethwa, and Janhvi Kapoor in key roles.
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