Karan Johar on nepotism allegations: 'Will not apologise for believing in talent'

With his most recent production Nadaaniyan featuring Ibrahim Ali Khan, son of Saif Ali Khan, in his acting debut, Karan Johar has once again taken aim at the criticism he often gets for nepotism in Bollywood. In an interview with Galatta Plus, the filmmaker addressed criticism of the film and allegations that his production company, Dharma Productions, favoured star kids.

Karan Johar calls out bias in online backlash

The producer of Nadaaniyan has acknowledged that the film has been the subject of intense online criticism; many have accused him of encouraging nepotism in his casting of Ibrahim. However, Johar stated that the criticism is biased and unjust, especially since he is also trying to support non-industry talent.

The filmmaker stated that hatred of Nadaaniyan quickly gained popularity. He remarked that one's video output is directly proportional to the amount of hate speech they express about it. Many people are focused on criticising nepo kids, and all Johar can say is, "Move on."

Highlighting support for outsiders

Johar went on to say that he is trolled for supporting Ibrahim, but people tend to ignore him when he backs outsiders like filmmaker Neeraj Ghaywan. Homebound is Ghaywan's next project, and Johar is already behind it, having produced Ajeeb Daastaans—a film in which the filmmaker had one segment.

With regard to Dharma Productions, "Cinema intellectuals will gush about anybody else but them," Johar continued.

Merit over family ties

The filmmaker denied rumours that his production house favoured people with inside connections in the entertainment sector when confronted with them head-on. Johar insisted that his production company only hires based on merit, not family history, and invited everyone to come see their roster. Additionally, he has stated that he will continue to collaborate with young stars if he perceives their potential. 

Johar added, "Am I the face of Bollywood hate? And if I am, then 'thank you' for giving me this elevation. But do I deserve it? I don’t think so."

Empathising with Babil Khan's viral video

In addition, Johar commented on a recent social media post by Irrfan Khan's son Babil (who was recently seen in Logout), who had called Bollywood a "fake industry" in a video that was later removed. The filmmaker stated in response to the post that he felt as awful as people did as a parent after seeing Babil's meltdown. Having a son and a daughter of his own made him feel dreadful.

Even though there has been much discussion about nepotism in Bollywood before, Johar's comments show his anger at being unfairly accused of being the industry's poster child for the problem, even if he believes in a more equitable and diverse approach to making films.