karan johar - Bollywood youth icon

By: Sunil Noronha

karan johar is one of the upcoming Indian film makers. At a young age, he has established himself with hit films like Kuch Kuch Hota Hai, Kabhi Kushi Kabhi Gham and Kal Ho Naa Ho. Of course being the son of one of the industry finest filmmakers, the late Yash Johar, it must have just been in his blood and something had to just get to doing.

karan johar was born in 1972 on the 25th of May in Bombay. He was the son of Late Yash Johar and Hiroo Johar. He didn't have films on his mind at all. He studied for a Bachelors degree in Commerce and a Masters degree in French. He has no real desire to be in the industry. At a chance meeting with Aditya Chopra, a friend of his, it was proposed that he help the man work on a project that he was working on titled Dilwale Dulhaniya Le Jayenge. Aditya Chopra cited his creativity especially with writing. That became his first project. He initially was just helping out but he was offered to be the assistant director. He gave it a shot with his fathers backing with the attitude that it was worth a try. By the second day he didn't feel like it was worth it and wanted to quit-so he went to Aditya Chopra to tell him so but eventually didnt get around to doing it. He stayed on and by the end of the sixth day he found his calling and stuck with the job.

While on the job during the shooring schedule in Switzerland, the stars of the film Kajol and Shahrukh Khan suggested that if he'd direct a movie they'd act in it. Sharukh Khan followed up on their "new project" and whenever he inquired about it he was told that there was nothing to work on. It came to the point when Karan was on his way to meet Sharukh and tell him that he had no ideas he came up a scene from the mega hit Kuch Kuch Hota Hai. He pitched the idea to Sharukh Khan and pacca dates were set. Things took shape and Kuch Kuch Hota Hai took shape. It was a bomb at the box office and karan johar had made his mark.

karan johars next film was Kabhi Khushi Kabhi Gham. It that you'd for a Bollywood hit. The godparents of Bollywood, Amitabh Bachchan and Jaya Bachchan, Star pair on screen Shahrukh Khan and Kajol and also new kid in town Hrithik Roshan and Kareena Kapoor. This movie was only his second movie. It went all the way to the top of the box office internationally and in the nation. IT was on the UK charts for a whole month and as the only movie so far to feature on the US top ten movies list. karan johar was riding high and was only twenty-eight. He carried on making hits with Kal Ho Na Ho. He made only two other films Kaal and Kabhi Alvida Na Kehna. In between, he even had his own chat show "Coffee with Karan" where he interviewed Bollywoods stars on Star world.

All in all, karan johar has achieved so much with only five major films of his own at such a young age. He is indeed someone who need looking upto by the youth of our nation today.