Karan Johar wants to nurture talent

Karan Johar is deep-neck into Wake Up Sid, directed by his erstwhile assistant, Ayan Mukherji. Besides, the supremely talented filmmaker is completing his talked-about biggie My Name is Khan; its penultimate schedule is currently in progress in Mumbai. Also, Kurbaan is slated for release before the end of the year. Plus, there's the animation version of Kuch Kuch Hota Hai, the remake of Agneepath, the sequel to Dostana, another project with Imran Khan and Sonam in principal roles and a few more projects. His plate is full…

Incidentally, the above-named projects are being directed by his assistants (except Kurbaan), who've been an integral part of Dharma Productions over the years.

"It's not possible to do everything yourself. Outsource, Delegate and Trust - that's my new mantra. Plus, I've decided against making films with established directors or known names. I want to nurture talent in Dharma and I would be glad if they attain success, branch out independently and produce movies themselves some day," Karan tells me.

Karan feels Wake Up Sid will herald the birth of an exceptional storyteller - Ayan Mukherji. "I think all of us have passed through the stage that Ranbir goes through in the film. The identification with his character and also the story are tremendous. Most importantly, Ayan has done a brilliant job. He has narrated the story with utmost sensitivity," Karan reveals.

The remake of Agneepath, produced by his father, is another project that he's excited about. Is it true Hrithik Roshan will enact the role of Vijay Dinanath Chavan, the role immortalised by Bachchan Sr.? "Let me clarify a few things," Karan sets the record straight, "It's the present-day adaptation of Agneepath. We're making changes in the script, in keeping with the current times. Also, the casting is not yet finalized."

Karan also denies that Ranbir Kapoor and Imran Khan will be included in the cast of Dostana 2. "I don't know how this rumour originated. The sequel to Dostana will also star Abhishek and John in principal roles. That won't change. But, of course, a few names would be included as and when the script is ready," Karan elucidates.