For decades, Karan Johar has painted love on screen in all its sweeping, cinematic glory — from rain-drenched confessions to tearful reconciliations. But off screen, the filmmaker admits that his own story
has often been lonelier than the worlds he creates. Behind the sparkle of National Awards and blockbuster success lies a quieter truth — that even those who celebrate love the loudest sometimes struggle to find it for themselves.
Between Two Awards, a Lifetime Apart
In 1998, a 27-year-old Karan Johar walked up to receive his first National Award for Kuch Kuch Hota Hai, hand-in-hand with his father, the late Yash Johar. This year, when his film Rocky Aur Rani Ki Prem Kahaani earned the same honour, the moment couldn’t have felt more different.
“When they asked me for my plus one, I had nobody,” Karan confessed during an interview with Sania Mirza for Myntra. “You feel the loneliest in your highs, not your lows. In your lows, you have family and friends. But in your highs… who do you share it with?”
He recalled hanging up after receiving the call and being hit by the silence that followed. “I didn’t know what to do. Whose hand to hold? Whose house to go to? I just needed someone to say, ‘I’m proud of you.’”
The Weight of an Empty Seat
Even at the ceremony, the sense of absence lingered. His mother, Hiroo Johar, couldn’t attend due to health reasons, and his children were too young to travel. “It hits you hard,” he said softly. “Everyone had their partners around, and I didn’t have anyone.”
A Heart Once Hungry for Companionship
Opening up further, Karan spoke about his longing for love and the heartbreaks that shaped him. “There was a time I wanted companionship — someone to share my life with,” he said. “I’ve had my share of heartbreaks. I made films, and that helped me heal. But there were days when I doubted if people could really accept me for who I am.”
The modern dating world, he confessed, feels alien. “Everyone says ‘put yourself out there.’ But where is there? They say, ‘go abroad’ — where in abroad?” he laughed, half amused, half exasperated.
The Loneliness Between Moments
Johar also reflected on the little rituals that remind him of his solitude. “Eating alone can feel heavy. Sometimes I avoid the dining table altogether and eat in my room. I watch something while eating, just to dilute the nothingness,” he said.
To him, love is about partnership, not just romance. “A partner’s love is completely different from that of your parents or children. People are meant to be a unit of two. Maybe rab ne yeh jodi mere liye nahi banayi,” he said with quiet resignation.
He laughed about avoiding couple gatherings and New Year’s parties. “All my friends are married, and I don’t want to impose. And PDA couples? They drive me mad. I’m like, please — get a room!”
Still, Hope Lives On
At 53, Karan Johar’s humour and hope remain intact. “They say never say never. If love happens, my arms are open — like Shah Rukh Khan’s,” he grinned. “I’ve made some of the best love stories in Indian cinema. It’s just that mine hasn’t been written yet.”
