Filmmaker
Karan
Johar
believes
it
is
important
for
a
successful
person
to
be
around
people
who
give
their
honest
opinion.
Johar,
who
has
evolved
with
time
graduating
from
college
romance
to
family
dramas
and
will
soon
be
helming
his
first
period-drama
in
Takht,
believes
sycophants
spread
toxicity.
"To
surround
yourself
with
'no'
people
and
not
'yes'
people.
People
who
can
tell
you
the
wrong
you're
doing
and
what
right
you
can
do.
It's
very
stupid
to
be
deluded.
The
'yes'
men
around
you
are
toxic.
It's
important
to
have
people
who'll
call
out
the
wrong
-
'this
film
isn't
good,
script
isn't
nice.'
Sometimes
you
know
the
truth
but
when
people
praise
you,
you
start
believing," he
said
in
a
group
interview.
Johar
said
being
relevant
is
important
if
one
has
to
continue
making
good
art.
"I
can't
live
in
the
past
with
my
laurels.
I
should
not
take
myself
seriously
and
instead
surround
myself
with
younger
people.
They
inspire
us.
It's
important
to
hear
them.
I
don't
want
to
lose
that
relevance.
"I
directed
'Student
of
the
Year' in
2012
fully
aware
that
there's
nothing
special
about
it,
it's
a
simple
time
pass
film
like
'High
School
Musical'.
But
I
wanted
to
make
a
film
which
connects
with
younger
generation,
the
12-14
year
olds
who
would
know
me."
The
director
is
currently
gearing
up
to
make
his
next,
Takht
which
is
set
in
the
Mughal
era
and
chronicles
the
story
of
two
warring
brothers.
The
historical
drama
stars
Kareena
Kapoor,
Ranveer
Singh,
Alia
Bhatt,
Vicky
Kaushal,
Bhumi
Pednekar,
Janhvi
Kapoor
and
Anil
Kapoor.
Johar
says
roping
in
a
cast
like
this
was
tough.
"It
was
not
easy.
Eventually
I
have
the
cast
I
am
happy
with.
But
yes,
this
was
the
only
film
I
am
directing
where
it
took
me
a
while
to
finalise
the
cast.
Every
other
film
was
easier
to
cast
but
this
one
was
challenging
because
of
the
kind
of
characters."
Filmmaker
Sanjay
Leela
Bhansali
is
known
for
lavishly-mounted
period
dramas
but
Karan
says
there
should
not
be
any
comparisons.
"Mr
Bhansali's
films
are
like
beautiful
canvas
and
I
am
a
huge
fan
of
his
work.
I
am
not
making
a
film
that
can
be
compared
to
anything
I've
done
or
anybody
else
has
done.
I'm
trying
to
make
a
film
that
is
true
to
the
historical
events
which
transpired.
"My
film
is
embedded
in
history.
It
has
to
be
told
the
way
it
was."