The path to directorial greatness rarely unfolds without the guidance of those who recognise potential before it blooms. Karan Johar, now one of Bollywood’s most influential voices, chose Guru Purnima on July 29 to publicly acknowledge the two individuals whose belief in him fundamentally reshaped his destiny. Through a lengthy social media post brimming with gratitude, the filmmaker reflected on two pivotal moments that served as turning points in his journey.
The first breakthrough came through filmmaker and his cousin Aditya Chopra, who extended an offer that would alter everything. In his tribute, KJo recalled the conversation: “Two conversations were life changing for me… One was at 1 am in the morning when Adi asked me to assist him on ‘DDLJ’ (I was about to leave for my further studies). He told me I had to be a director… I was melodramatic and filmy and the only thing I needed was an interval because I was always on a treadmill (not the ones gyms are famous for). He said if I didn’t pursue this path I would be making a huge mistake.”
When he approached his father seeking permission to pursue filmmaking, his father Yash Johar asked if he knew what was to be done on the sets. The filmmaker recounted: “I said an emphatic no. He asked, ‘Will you promise to work very hard and follow every instruction? That will make you a producer. To be a director, you need only and only passion.’”
The second transformative moment arrived courtesy of Shah Rukh Khan during a Swiss mountain sojourn. Karan shared: “My next conversation was with Bhai (Shah Rukh Khan) on a hilltop in Switzerland. I was looking at the mountains (pretending to be homesick and seeking sympathy). He came to me and said, “‘Tu director banega aur teri pehli film main karunga.’ I thought to myself, he’s probably low on oxygen and may not completely know what he’s saying. But he was serious and followed up with my father as we got back to India.” True to his word, Shah Rukh Khan starred in Karan’s directorial debut ‘Kuch Kuch Hota Hai’ in 1998, following the watershed 1995 release ‘Dilwale Dulhania Le Jayenge’, where KJo served as assistant director. That film had revolutionised Hindi cinema’s landscape, and both Chopra and Khan played instrumental roles in launching KJo’s illustrious career. Concluding his emotional post, Karan wrote: “I love you, Adi and Bhai. I am here with my strengths and flaws, my ups and downs, my wins and my losses, only and only because of the both of you. You both are the only reason I can tell stories today. Happy Guru Purnima… and a big shout out to every guru who has paid it forward and created careers for others… selflessly…” Karan accompanied his words with archival photographs featuring both mentors.
