Ace Bollywood director Karan Johar on Thursday said he’s not delusional enough to compete with his best friend Shah Rukh Khan.
The remark came after he said his latest directorial venture Student Of The Year was a commentary on friendships and campus rivalry.
“I can only compete with equals. I am not equal to Shah Rukh … His brand power and superiority as an individual is humungous,” said Johar at a press conference in Dubai on Thursday.
The decade-plus friendship between Khan and Johar is legendary in Bollywood and their working relationship has yielded several blockbusters including Kuch Kuch Hota Hai, Kal Ho Na Ho and Kabhi Khushi Kabhi Gham.
“I don’t think any filmmaker in India is deluded to think that he is in par with any movie star, let alone Shah Rukh Khan. Perhaps that’s the reason why we share such a beautiful bond. We always knew that he was the larger superstar. I need him more than he can ever need me,” said Johar.
This may be the status quo between Johar and Khan, but the equation was different with him and his discoveries Siddharth Malhotra, Varun Dhawan and Alia Bhatt.
With the youthful SOTY, Johar is launching the good-looking brigade.
“They are like my own children … They are not as half as nervous as I am. I feel like a parent shouldering all the responsibility,” said Johar. He may take immense pride in his discoveries but said that launching new faces comes with its own set of risks.
“In a star-ridden industry such as ours, launching new talents on such a large scale is always a risk. But nothing ventured, nothing gained. I have never felt more proud,” he said.
Meanwhile Malhotra, Bhatt and Dhawan praised their captain.
“He’s always like a friend on set, but when it’s time for work to happen you can’t mess with him. If I were to rate him I would give ten on ten,” said Dhawan of his mentor. Student Of The Year releases on October 18 in the UAE.
