Karan Johar Says Shah Rukh Khan Was 'The First Man' Who Did Not Make Him Feel 'Lesser'

Filmmaker Karan Johar recently spoke about the difficulties he faced as a child in school. The director revealed in an interview that his bullies in school would call him a “pansy” and shared that such incidents pushed him into a shell. He also admitted that he pretended to be in love with a girl in high school.

Talking to YouTuber Nikhil Taneja on his show Be A Man Yaar, Karan said, “Today what you call gay, fag or homo, said in a derogatory tone, it was called pansy in those days… And, it was a word that literally, had really pushed me into a shell” “I pretended to be in love with a girl in the 10th standard. Her name was Shalaka,” he added.

The filmmaker further mentioned Shah Rukh Khan and said, “Shah Rukh Khan was the first man that didn’t make me feel lesser.”

Karan Johar and Shah Rukh Khan have had a long professional and personal association. He became fast friends with Shah Rukh Khan on the sets of the 1995 film Dilwale Dulhania Le Jayenge. Karan worked on the film as an assistant director. Their collaboration has led to many hit films like Kuch Kuch Hota Hai, Kabhi Khushi Kabhie Gham, Kal Ho Na Ho, Kabhi Alvida Naa Kehna and My Name Is Khan.

The Indian Express recently mentioned in a report that Shah Rukh was uncomfortable while filming a particular scene in Kabhi Alvida Na Kehna. The report mentioned that in his biography, An Unsuitable Boy, Karan wrote, “He’s (Shah Rukh) never taken more than two takes for anything. He and I have this synergy, we just get what we want. But there was one scene where he’s on the phone and Preity Zinta asks, ‘Dev, who are you talking to?’ and he says, ‘I am just coming.’ That’s it. But he couldn’t do that scene. He was just so embarrassed. He said, ‘I can’t do this. What is this nonsense!'”

Meanwhile, Karan’s recent directorial venture, Rocky Aur Rani Kii Prem Kahaani, starring Alia Bhatt and Ranveer Singh in lead roles released last month on July 28. The film also stars veteran actors like Dharmendra, Jaya Bachchan and Shabana Azmi in pivotal roles. It also marked the Bollywood debut of television actress Anjali Singh Anand.