Karan Johar birthday special: Lesser-known facts about the man behind ‘Kuch Kuch Hota Hai’ and ‘Kabhi Khushi Kabhie Gham’

As Karan Johar celebrates his birthday today, fans across the country are revisiting the incredible journey of the filmmaker who transformed Bollywood romance and family dramas with films like ‘Kuch Kuch Hota Hai’, ‘Kabhi Khushi Kabhie Gham’ and ‘My Name Is Khan’. According to Free Press Journal, Karan’s journey, from being a passionate movie buff in childhood to becoming one of the most influential names in Indian entertainment—has been full of interesting stories, memorable friendships and career-defining moments. Here are some lesser-known facts about the director-producer on his special day.

Long before becoming one of Bollywood’s biggest filmmakers, Karan Johar had a childhood crush on Twinkle Khanna. Interestingly, this admiration later inspired one of the most memorable characters from his directorial debut ‘Kuch Kuch Hota Hai’. The character of Tina was reportedly based on Twinkle’s personality and style. Karan even first approached her for the role, but after she declined, Rani Mukerji eventually stepped into the part.

Although Karan was obsessed with Hindi cinema while growing up, he often avoided discussing it among his South Mumbai school friends. According to him, many people in his social circle looked down upon mainstream Bollywood films at the time. Despite that, Karan remained deeply influenced by iconic movies and filmmakers, especially the works of legendary director Yash Chopra, who became one of his biggest inspirations.

Karan was born into a film family, as his father Yash Johar founded Dharma Productions and produced several successful films over the years. Movies like ‘Dostana’, ‘Agneepath’ and ‘Muqaddar Ka Faisla’ helped establish the banner as a respected name in Hindi cinema. Watching film production closely from childhood played a major role in shaping Karan’s understanding of storytelling and filmmaking.

While Karan always admired films, he has often admitted that it was Sooraj Barjatya’s blockbuster ‘Hum Aapke Hain Koun..!’ that truly convinced him to become a director. The film’s emotional storytelling, music and family dynamics left a lasting impression on him and influenced the kind of cinema he later created through films like ‘Kabhi Khushi Kabhie Gham’ and ‘Kabhi Alvida Naa Kehna’.

Karan’s friendship with Shah Rukh Khan began in the early 1990s when they met on the sets of ‘Karan Arjun’. Later, while working as an assistant director on Aditya Chopra’s ‘Dilwale Dulhania Le Jayenge’, Karan reportedly received a promise from Shah Rukh that he would act in his first directorial venture whenever that happened. SRK stayed true to his word and eventually headlined ‘Kuch Kuch Hota Hai’, which became the biggest blockbuster of 1998.

Beyond films and television, Karan often describes fatherhood as one of the most important chapters of his life. The filmmaker became a single father to twins Yash and Roohi through surrogacy. He frequently shares glimpses of their bond on social media and has spoken openly about how parenting transformed his perspective on life and relationships.