Entertainment

Sharing throwback pictures with the two stars, Karan opened up about two conversations from his younger days that he believes set him on the path to becoming a filmmaker. Recalling his first interaction with Aditya Chopra, Karan said Aditya convinced him to assist on Dilwale Dulhania Le Jayenge instead of leaving for further studies. He encouraged Karan to pursue direction, telling him that abandoning the path could be a decision he would regret.

Karan also remembered seeking his late father Yash Johar’s permission to spend a year working on a film set. While Yash Johar questioned whether his son knew what it took to work on a set, he ultimately gave him a piece of advice that stayed with Karan—hard work and discipline could make someone a producer, but becoming a director required genuine passion.

His second life-changing moment came while working on DDLJ, when Shah Rukh Khan approached him and confidently predicted that Karan would become a director, adding that he would star in his debut film. What Karan initially assumed was a casual comment soon became a reality, with Shah Rukh standing by his words and later speaking to Yash Johar about it.

On Guru Purnima, Karan expressed his love and gratitude towards both Aditya and Shah Rukh, acknowledging that their faith in him played a defining role in his journey. He said their encouragement gave him the confidence to tell stories and build a career behind the camera.

Karan made his directorial debut with Kuch Kuch Hota Hai in 1998, starring Shah Rukh Khan, Kajol and Rani Mukerji. The romantic drama went on to become one of the era's biggest box-office successes.