At THE WEEK Salon, sponsored by Bandhan Bank on Wednesday evening, Karan Johar moved beyond cinema to speak with striking honesty about fatherhood, vulnerability, and the values shaping the next generation.
A single parent to twins Yash and Ruhi, Johar described parenting as both fulfilling and profoundly challenging. “My most important contribution as a parent was not to slot them by gender,” he said. Rejecting everyday phrases like “don’t cry like a girl,” he emphasised how deeply such conditioning can shape a child’s psyche.
In his home, there are no binaries; both children learn martial arts, dance, and sports together. “Why is blue for a boy and pink for a girl? That just bothers me,” he said, adding that raising “good, solid human beings” matters more than conforming to societal expectations.
The filmmaker’s parenting philosophy is rooted in personal memory. Reflecting on his own childhood, Johar spoke about feeling different and, at times, unsafe. “I was an effeminate boy… I didn’t feel safe,” he admitted. “I don’t want my kids to ever feel that vulnerability.”
His honesty extended to the realities of modern parenting, particularly in a hyper-digital age. Johar acknowledged the difficulty of regulating screen time and encouraging reading. “I keep saying read books… but it’s tough,” he said, adding that he often feels the absence of a co-parent in navigating these challenges. “I wish I had a partner to help raise my children.”
Still, he credits his support system for helping him stay grounded, even as he juggles a demanding career and single parenthood.
The session, attended by a packed audience, blended industry insight with personal reflection, offering a portrait of Johar not just as a filmmaker but as a father navigating a rapidly changing world.
