‘Shah Rukh Khan is the reason I am here’: Emotional Karan Johar calls Met Gala debut a ‘full circle’ moment

Karan Johar made a sharp appearance at the 2026 Met Gala in a Manish Malhotra ensemble inspired by the art of Raja Ravi Varma. While his look quickly became a talking point, the filmmaker also shared an emotional moment during an interview, crediting Shah Rukh Khan for his role in his journey.

Speaking to the BBC from the Met Gala carpet, Johar reflected on how his career has been intertwined with SRK's presence. A year after Shah Rukh Khan made his own Met Gala debut, Johar said attending the event himself felt like an emotional, full-circle moment.

“Well, for me it's so emotional. Shah Rukh is such a large part of my career repertoire. I've done my first five films with him, and he's the reason I stand here today. So for him to have come last year and me this year, it's like life feels like a complete circle,” Johar said.

The two, together, are collectively known to have transformed the Bollywood landscape in the 90s and 2000s. SRK starred in Johar’s directorial debut, Kuch Kuch Hota Hai, along with Rani Mukerji and Kajol, which went on to become one of the most successful films in Bollywood. The duo later collaborated on some of Bollywood’s biggest films, including Kabhi Khushi Kabhie Gham, Kabhi Alvida Naa Kehna, and My Name Is Khan.

Johar also spoke about fashion being inseparable from his storytelling style, calling it an important narrative tool in his films.

“Fashion has been a huge part of my cinema. It's also a massive hobby of mine, but I've also tried to integrate fashion through storytelling and through characters through the years and through my films. I'm just glad to represent India at the Met, especially when the theme is ‘Fashion is Art’,” he added.

For his Met Gala debut, Johar wore a custom Manish Malhotra creation titled Framed in Eternity, inspired by the art of Raja Ravi Varma. The dramatic look featured a sharply tailored vintage jacket with structured shoulders and an almost six-foot-long hand-painted cape.

Styled by Eka Lakhani, the ensemble took 85 days to complete and involved the work of more than 80 artisans. The design drew inspiration from Ravi Varma paintings such as Lady with the Peach, Hamsa Damayanti, Kadambari, Arjuna and Subhadra.