Karan Johar exclusive interview

Celebrity Director-Producer Karan Johar's Exclusive Interview on Film Dostana (2008) :
Dostana is a Bollywood movie starring Abhishek Bachchan, John Abraham and Priyanka Chopra. It is produced by Karan Johar, who is the maker of some blockbuster movies like Kuch Kuch Hota Hai, Kabhi Khushi Kabhie Gham, Kal Ho Naa Ho and Kabhi Alvida Naa Kehna. The film is directed by Karan's assistant, Tarun Mansukhani. It will release on 14 November, 2008. “The gay bit between John and Abhishek is not about bringing homosexuality out in the open but an extension of Kal Ho Naa Ho’s Kantaben joke”, says producer Karan Johar about movie Dostana.

He has given the following exclusive interview about film Dostana and his forthcoming film My Name is Khan.

Dostana is the first Dharma Productions film where you are strictly a producer. How was it different?

This one had complete creative detachment on my part. This is the first of many projects where I will be doing just that — be a producer only. There will be many first-time directors paving the way for a larger base for Dharma Productions.That’s why I took a two-year break to set up the infrastructure within the organisation. Now we can have an ‘x’ amount of releases every year. For Dostana, I have provided financial, moral and marketing support, which a film of this nature and magnitude requires in abundance.

Was it difficult to stay away from the creative aspects of a production?

Of course, it is. When you are a director, you have a creative headspace and everyone comes with his or her own thoughts and to combat that internally is, of course, an exercise. I did okay the scripts but I wanted the directors to be on their own because otherwise there would be creative confusion and conflict. It’s best to let them make their film rather than make them make my film. There will be floating ‘me too’s in your own organisation which will not work.

As we have seen with Yash Raj Films, all their productions bear the Aditya Chopra stamp. Will it be the same with you and Dharma?

Not really. Dostana still has the aesthetic of Dharma. Of course it has the whole rom com space which we dabbled with before in Kal Ho Naa Ho. It has the glamour of all our films. But the various other productions that are coming out next are very unusual in content, look and approach. We have an animation film, we have a thriller Rensil D’Silva is directing, we have a coming-of-age film which Ayan Mukerji is directing and there’s My Name is Khan.

You have been hyping up the gay content in Dostana from the very first teaser...

My experience tells me to prepare an audience with something new, something edgy in content, even if it is not overtly controversial. Of course, Abhishek and John are pretending to be a gay couple and are not really gay in the film. And it’s used very much in the rom com space. A lot of care has been taken not to offend any sensibility.

So, Dostana is not about bringing homosexuality out of the closet?

No, Dostana is not a Brokeback Mountain. It’s not making a statement as such. But yes, one way of looking at it is that it is the first film in which two mainstream actors like Abhishek and John are ‘acting’ gay for a major part of the film. So the moments and dialogues are accordingly about a gay couple. In that way you can call it an avant garde cinema.

Isn’t this ‘acting gay’ bit an extension of the Kantaben joke of Kal Ho Naa Ho?

Kal Ho Naa Ho is the baby of the thought. Dostana is the mother of the thought.

Despite having such good friends in the industry, why pick Shilpa Shetty for the item number?

See the song Shut Up and Bounce comes at the start of the film. We wanted to begin the movie with a bang against the backdrop of the Miami beaches. And Tarun Mansukhani the director and Vaibhavi Merchant the choreographer were unanimous that we should have the best body in the business and that is Shilpa Shetty.

First as Bo Derek coming out in all gold from the waters in a bikini and now in the Desi girl song, Priyanka Chopra is turning out to be your USP...

It was a great experience working with Priyanka. Abhishek is a friend and I have worked with John before. But this was the first time I was working with Priyanka Chopra. She was punctual, disciplined, understanding... There was never a false note.

Dostana, with its Miami setting and theme of friendship and love, looks like another Karan Johar production targetted towards NRIs...

Absolutely not! Yes, it is very urban in content and the urban viewership will obviously be strong. But, I have said it a million times and I am going to say it again, I do not make films keeping NRIs in mind. It’s just that the sensibility of my films appeals to a certain section of people. I make films for Asians living anywhere across the globe.

How did you feel when it first hit you that it’s been 10 years since Kuch Kuch Hota Hai?

First of all I didn’t remember it. I was reminded. And the first thought that came to my mind was it did feel like 10 years since Kuch Kuch Hota Hai! It did not feel like yesterday. And I am happy that I felt the 10 years passing by.

Is it still your favourite film?

To call it my favourite film will be like favouring it! But it is surely special to me. Because it was my first film. And any first is special. Also, I have great nostalgia attached with the film.

Farah Khan says you cannot make another Kuch Kuch Hota Hai. Would you agree?

I guess, there is a sense of evolution in every film-maker. At the start of your career, in your first film, you make something which is kind of an accumulation of everything that you have seen or heard till that point. Then you look at life beyond that and move on and try and form your own base. That’s what I have been doing.

So, what inspired you to make your next directorial venture My Name is Khan?

A lot of reading about global issues and problems. Also, I travel a lot and I get to see a few things. My Name is Khan will be a social comment but at the same time I do not want to lose out on the emotional content.

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