Karan Johar: Eye spy talent

For his upcoming film Student of the Year, filmmaker Karan Johar has chosen fresh faces and interestingly the TV reality show India's Got Talent that he is judging is also about discovering new talent. Considering the film is up for release next month, is being a part of the show a way of leveraging his movie?

“It's a great coincidence that I am launching fresh faces and simultaneously judging new talent. Also, promotion is the new superstar and we have to go through the beats, but having said that, this is not deliberate. I have a good association with the channel and it’s a show that I love,” laughs Karan.

The reason he took up the show was because it not only showcases talent but also tells a humane story which he informs is both heartening and fascinating. “Heartening because these are people from low-income groups, but have the passion to pursue their skill, and fascinating because of the incredible talent they have,” says Karan, who was impressed by a guy from the Northeast who sang the Opera “that was beyond international standards”.

Karan, who gave his controversial talk show Koffee With Karan a miss this year, promises to return next June with a refreshed steaming cuppa. But before that he plans to roll his co-production with Ekta Kapoor. In fact, the filmmaker is also co-producing Two States with Sajid Nadiadwala. “It's the age of co-productions. Even studios are collaborating with producers. Today, it’s not about being competitive, you have to be intelligent,” says Karan. The filmmaker, who’s been instrumental in giving a break to several new directors under his banner, has now wisened up after a few of them left him post their directorial debuts — first-time directors have to now sign a three-film deal with him. “I have learned from my past mistakes,” says Karan.

Ask him about always being referred to as the director who makes bubblegum films, and he says, “What defines me as a filmmaker is that though the world in my film is unreal, my characters have a connect. I never move away from core human emotions,” says Karan, adding that his one film rooted in reality was My Name Is Khan. Talking about Khan, when will he be making his next film with Shah Rukh? “I haven’t decided yet,” he smiles.