Part 1 - My Name Is Karan Johar
When you look at films that you wouldn't be comfortable doing, is that out of choice or ability? Like when you say you couldn't make a Wake Up Sid...
Oh, there are a lot of films I can't do. And I look at them sometimes happy I can't do them and sometimes really sad I can't do them. For the lack of a better word, maybe I'm not talented enough to execute a certain kind of a film.
When I saw Rang De Basanti, I was so floored by the way it was shot and executed, and I was like 'sh*t, I can't do this,' and I feel limited sometimes. And then I see some films and I'm like 'I can do this and I would have done it better,' you know?
But it really depends on how honest you are to yourself, and you have to know and understand what you are and what your limitations are, and you have to address some of your delusions. I think most of us are delusional. Very rarely do we put ourselves out there and really understand what people think of us.
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Part 2 - I don't want to work with newcomers
If having new people around you is so clearly broadening your horizons, why do you feel compelled to stick with a majority of the old-guard? Your film still stars Shah Rukh Khan and Kajol, the music is still by Shankar-Ehsaan-Loy...
Some of those are the way they are, and the way they will be. I think if I yank myself totally out of my zone, it might affect me. Shankar-Ehsaan-Loy have also composed music that is completely different: there is no lipsync song in My Name Is Khan, it's all background. And the music is not Western at all, barring the fact that it's somewhere fusion based. Also it's got different voices, people I haven't worked with.
When I spoke to Shah Rukh, I said 'look, it's very important that you play even this character as a mainstream hero,' because that's one call that I took commercially. I felt he had to be an endearing character, no matter what. So if that takes bringing about a certain level of 'cutiefying' at times, or toning down the disorder in areas but still maintaining a regular pitch, I think it's imperative.
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Part 3 - I wouldn't have produced Lagaan
Are you a very hands-on producer?
No. I have no sense of economics. I have no sense of money handling. My CEO is my oldest and best friend, Apoorva, who's been with me through school and college. He takes care of all of that. He sits in my father's chair now, so it's a given that he does everything and I don't even know what to do. I was a 90s student in every subject besides Mathematics, and there was always a 32 or a 34 in that one. In my ICSE exams I had five 90s and one 40, and that's the way it is with me. Signing cheques is also an issue, I don't know where the signature has to go half the time. I stare at that one line. It's still not something I'm used to.
I remember the fourth day after I lost my father. I walked into this room and a gentleman walked in and said, 'Hi, I'm your chartered accountant, we've never met.' And that pretty much sums up my financial and monetary cluelessness. So if anyboy wanted to take me for a ride, I'm the best victim possible (laughs).
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5 comments:
Karan is evolving with each film. And certainly his filmaking skills are evolving. I also like the fact that Dharma makes films that do not have a specific look. Like this man's intelligence and his ability to say "I goofed up"!
Really good interview and agree on Aamir part . Aamir has perfected the art of doing different but not so different which can turn people off . His films r not like Abhishek which r like totally different and thus finds hard on Boxoffice .
This is an excellent interview - and one that goes beyond personalities to actually talk about film-making as a craft and about audience and why our films are the way they are.
I like what Johar says publicly but there is a big discoonnect in actual work.
Since this talk began after KANK, I have no idea how we can judge his work. And I think his production WUS is an excellent piece of cinemas, small and pertinent.
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