Karan Johar turns 50: All the Bollywood hotshots launched by him
One of India's leading and most bankable filmmakers and producers, Karan Johar is celebrating his 50th birthday on May 25. Often referred to as KJo by his close friends, Karan wears many hats with ease. He's an actor, chat show host, reality show judge, and entrepreneur and backs a jewellery brand.
Quintessential to the characteristics of his films, Karan too has a colourful and joyful personality. Over the last two decades of his career in the film industry, the director has associated himself with several blockbusters such as ‘Baahubali’, ‘Raazi’, ‘My Name is Khan’, ‘Sheershah’, ‘Simmba’, etc.
Son of Indian film producer, Yash Johar who founded Dharma Productions, Karan had inherited the skills of filmmaking from his father. Apart from being a proficient producer, he is known for launching star kids and providing them with a grand launch. He has also launched several successful actors and directors under his banner of Dharma Productions. On his birthday, let's have a look at the list of those celebs who gave their shot in Bollywood under Karan Johar’s guidance.
Actor Alia Bhatt
Alia Bhatt who is one of India's most sought after actresses made her Bollywood debut with Karan Johar’s teen film ‘Student of the Year’ in 2012. She played the leading lady in the film opposite Varun Dhawan and Sidharth Malhotra and became popular overnight. Alia was auditioned alongside 500 girls and cast in the film after she lost 16 kgs.
Though her performance in 'Student of the Year' was criticised as a washout, the actor took lessons to improve her performing skills and then there was no stopping. Continuing her collaboration with Dharma Productions, Alia starred in romantic films ‘2 States’ and ‘Humpty Sharma Ki Dulhania’ both in 2014, ‘Shandaar’, ‘Kapoor & Sons’, ‘Badrinath ki Dulhania’, ‘Dear Zindagi’, spy film ‘Raazi’ and ‘Kalank’.
Alia and Karan share a beautiful bond with each other. She not only considers him a mentor but he’s also a father figure to her.
(Photograph:Instagram)
Actor Varun Dhawan
Son of director David Dhawan, actor Varun Dhawan who is amongst the highest-paid actors in the country was also launched by Karan’s Dharma Productions in 2012’s ‘Student of the Year’. He has starred in 11 films to date. After ‘Student of the Year’, he teamed with Karan Johar in three more films - ‘Humpty Sharma Ki Dulhania’ (2014), ‘Badrinath Ki Dulhania’ (2017) and the historic drama ‘Kalank’ (2019).
Being from the industry himself, Varun’s relationship with Karan dates back to times when he was a kid. Even before venturing into acting, Varun began his career as an assistant director to Karan Johar in Shah Rukh Khan starrer hit film ‘My Name Is Khan’ (2010).
(Photograph:Others)
Director, Writer and Producer Shashank Khaitan
Indian film writer, director and producer, Shashank Khaitan’s association with Dharma Productions is quite known to all. His directorial debut ‘Humpty Sharma ki Dulhania’, a romantic comedy starring Alia Bhatt and Varun Dhawan in lead was a hit at the box office. For his second film, ‘Badrinath Ki Dulhania’, he again reunited with Bhatt and Dhawan under the Dharma banner. The film received recognition for its stance on gender equality and earned him a nomination for the Filmfare Award for Best Director.
Khaitan directed ‘Dhadak’, starring two new star kids, Janhvi Kapoor and Ishan Khatter 2018, which was a remake of the Marathi movie ‘Sairat’. Later, in 2019, Khaitan turned producer for Dharma Productions with comedy ‘Good Newwz’ (2019) and horror-thriller ‘Bhoot – Part One: The Haunted Ship’ (2020) that starred actors Vicky Kaushal and Bhumi Pednekar.
Shashank in 2021 directed a segment in Netflix’s anthology ‘Ajeeb Daastaans’ titled ‘Majnu’.
(Photograph:Others)
Actor Sidharth Malhotra
Before making his acting debut in Bollywood, Sidharth Malhotra worked as an assistant director to Karan Johar for ‘My name is Khan’ in 2010 and two years later he appeared in Dharma Productions' 2012 film ‘Student of the Year’ marking his debut in the Hindi film industry.
Like his other debutants - Alia and Varun, Malhotra who is an outsider went on to star in Johar’s other few produced films like ‘Brothers’ opposite Akshay Kumar, ‘Jabariya Jodi’, Shakun Batra directed ‘Kapoor & Sons’, ‘Hasee Toh Phasee’, ‘Baar Bar Dekho’, ‘Ittefaq’.
Though Sidharth has been in the industry for a long time, his last film ‘Shershaah’, took his career to another level. The film was produced by Karan Johar.
(Photograph:Others)
Actor Ananya Panday
The 23-year old star kid of Chunky Pandey and Bhavana Pandey, made her acting debut in 2019 with the teen film titled ‘Student of the Year 2’ which was slated as a flop at the box office. The film was produced by Karan Johar’s Dharma Productions. The film also saw Tiger Shroff and Tara Sutaria as Ananya’s co-stars.
Many critics pointed out that she showed potential in an unremarkable film. Her next film ‘Pati Patni Aur Woh’, a remake of 1978 film of the same name, went on to become a commercial success. Ananya won the Filmfare award for Best Female debut for both these films.
She was again cast by Karan Johar in 'Gehraiyaan', produced under his banner. Her next is director Puri Jagannadh’s 'Liger', alongside Vijay Devarakonda.
(Photograph:Others)
Actor Tara Sutaria
The 26-year old actress made her career debut as a singer for Disney India’s 'Big Bada Boom' and eventually transitioned to acting with her debut film ‘Student of the Year 2’ alongside Tiger Shroff and Ananya Pandey in 2019. The film was produced by Karan Johar’s Dharma Productions. Tara won the Zee Cinema Award for Best Female Debut for this film.
Before her debut in Bollywood, she was in the running to be cast as Princess Jasmine in the Hollywood fantasy film 'Aladdin' but lost the role to Naomi Scott. She has also acted in films like 'Marjaavaan', 'Tadap' and 'Heropanti 2.'
(Photograph:Others)
Screenwriter and Director Shakun Batra
The 39-year old director and screenwriter started his film journey as a side actor in the film 'Don: The Chase Begins' and then worked as an assistant director on films like 'Jaane Tu Ya Jaane Na' and 'Rock On!!'
Shakun made his directorial debut with Karan Johar’s production 'Ek Main Aur Ekk Tu' in 2012, which starred Kareena Kapoor and Imran Khan in lead. The film was well-received with critics calling it “sweet and sometimes even a little unexpected."
He then went on to write and direct films like 'Kapoor & Sons' and 'Gehraiyaan', both produced under Dharma Productions. In 2017 he won several awards for 'Kapoor & Sons.'
(Photograph:Others)
Actor Janhvi kapoor
Daughter of late actor Sri Devi and director Boney Kapoor, this 25-year-old young star kid was launched by Dharma Productions in 2018’s ‘Dhadak’, directed by Shashank Khaitan, alongside co-debutant Ishan Khatter. ‘Dhadak’ was a Hindi remake of the 2016 Marathi film ‘Sairat’.
Kapoor’s third film ‘Gunjan Saxena: The Kargil Girl’ (2020), was a titular aviator biopic based on the life of Gunjan Saxena, an Indian Air Force officer and a former helicopter pilot. Janhvi played the lead role of the Kargil War veteran and the film was received well by the audience. Produced under the banner of Karan’s production house, Kapoor received a nomination for the Filmfare Award for Best Actress.
(Photograph:Others)
Ishaan Khatter
This 26-year-old star kid made his Bollywood debut in 2018 with Shashank Khaitan’s romantic drama ‘Dhadak’, opposite Janhvi Kapoor. Critics labelled Khatter as a natural performer for his performance in the film.
Ishaan is half-brother of Bollywood actor Shahid Kapoor.
(Photograph:Others)
Director Tarun Mansukhani
Bollywood director and writer is known for the famous 2008 film ‘Dostana’ produced by Karan Johar. The film starred actors Abhishek Bachchan, John Abraham and Priyanka Chopra and became a super hit in India. He also directed another Dharma film ‘Drive’ in 2019.
Tarun has assisted Karan Johar in three films - ‘Kabhi Khushi Kabhi Gham’ (2001), ‘Kal Ho Na Ho’ (2003) and ‘Kabhi Alvida Naa Kehna’ (2006).
(Photograph:Others)
Actor Rohit Sharaf
Sharaf began his career with many television shows before his debut in Hindi cinema industry. He played a supporting character role in Alia Bhatt's starrer, 'Dear Zindagi', produced by Dharma. He then went on to act in films like ‘Hichki’, ‘The Sky is Pink’, ‘Ludo’ and the most recent Netflix romantic comedy series ‘Mismatched’.
(Photograph:Others)