Karan Johar has made it clear—he’s not backing down from casting star kids. In a recent interview, the filmmaker addressed the constant backlash he receives for working with actors from film families and said he will continue to do so as long as he sees talent.
Karan on Nepotism and ‘Cinema Intellectuals’
Speaking to Galatta India, Johar slammed what he called the “cinema intellectuals” who, he believes, unfairly ignore his work and ridicule projects associated with his production house, Dharma Productions. Referring to his recent film Nadaaniyan, which marked the debut of Saif Ali Khan’s son Ibrahim Ali Khan and also starred Khushi Kapoor, Karan said, “Hating on Nadaaniyan became fashionable. The more you hate on it, the more videos you put out, the more engagement you will get. People are loving nepo kid bashing and I’m like—move on.”
He continued, “Cinema intellectuals will gush about anybody else, but if it’s Dharma, they will say nothing.”
Despite the trolling, Karan maintained that the belief that he works only with star kids is untrue. But he affirmed that he won’t shy away from doing so again: “As long as I believe in their talent, I will keep launching them.”
“Thank You for the Elevation”
When asked if he feels targeted as the face of Bollywood hate, Karan replied with a touch of sarcasm, “Thank you for giving me this elevation. But do I deserve it? I don’t think so.”
Karan has previously been at the centre of the nepotism debate, especially after Nadaaniyan was panned for its script and performances. The film’s lead actors—both from Bollywood families—faced significant online trolling.
What’s Next for Dharma?
So far in 2025, Dharma Productions has released two films—Nadaaniyan and Kesari Chapter 2, the latter featuring Akshay Kumar, R. Madhavan and Ananya Panday. The banner’s next big title is Dhadak 2, starring Siddhant Chaturvedi and Triptii Dimri.
Karan’s last directorial, Rocky Aur Rani Kii Prem Kahaani (2023), starring Ranveer Singh and Alia Bhatt, was a massive box office hit, earning ₹355 crore globally.