‘Audition Toh Formality Thi’ When Karan Johar Confessed He Had Already Decided To Cast Varun, Sid For SOTY

Veteran producer Yash Johar's son Karan Johar made his directorial debut with the 1998 blockbuster Kuch Kuch Hota Hai and is now among the most influential personalities in Bollywood.

After a successful directorial debut, he went on to helm films like Kabhi Khushi Kabhie Gham, Kabhi Alvida Naa Kehna, My Name Is Khan, Student of the Year, and Ae Dil Hai Mushkil.

For the first time in his career as a director, he directed three newcomers together in Student of The Year. Featuring Varun Dhawan, Alia Bhatt, and Sidharth Malhotra, the film was released in 2012 and turned out to be a box-office success.

Ever since then, he's been accused of promoting nepotism in the film industry as Varun and Alia were star kids. KJo's SOTY trio has completed a decade in Bollywood and all three of them are still doing well professionally.

While it won't be wrong to say that Alia is currently the most successful one among them, did you know that Karan had decided to cast both Sid and Varun in the film even before auditioning them? Yes, you read that right!

Years ago, in an interview with trade analyst Komal Nahata, Karan confessed that audition was just a formality and he had already decided to cast both of them.

Talking about Varun and Sidharth, Karan said, "Lekin mai jaanta tha ye dono naughty, bratty ladke hai aur ye hero type hai, aur banenge. Unn dono ki tuning ek dusre ke saath bade kamaal ki thi. Jab ye script mere zehen mei aaya, toh it required a chemistry of two boys kyunki film prem kahani nahi hai, film do doston ki kahani hai. Isiliye mai jaanta tha inn dono mei ek star quality hai aur chemistry bhi hai. Toh maine already teh kar liya tha, uske baad maine auditions liye inke. Then I decided to cast them only. But mai jaanta tha ye hi honge, audition toh formality thi kyunki mai nahi chahta tha they should think that unko mil gaya aise hi. (I knew both were naughty, bratty guys who were hero types and would become stars one day. Also, they had great tuning with each other. When this script came to my mind, it required the chemistry of two boys as the film wasn't a love story, it revolved around two friends. Hence, I knew that they had star quality as well as chemistry. I had already decided, then I auditioned them and decided to cast them only. I knew that they'll do my film, the audition was just a formality as I didn't want them to think that they got it just like that)"

Watch the old video here: