HELLO! Exclusive: Karan Johar and Manish Malhotra on cinema, couture and camaraderie

They started their careers in the ’90s, a time where strong, middle-class values were etched on the screen and across starry fashion silhouettes. Then came the 1995 blockbuster, Rangeela, where Urmila Matondkar was styled to be artfully sensuous, like a desi Bo Derek. It was one midas touch that took the once gaudy Indian femme fatales to glorious high priestesses of style, as knockoffs of their on-screen garb flooded the high streets. That visionary, who worked with just two tailors and loads of instinct, who often found film producers suspicious when he wanted to understand the movie script, and who often found his paycheques bouncing… That intrepid game changer was Manish Malhotra. 

Then you have the bratty, sassy Karan Johar, scion of Dharma Productions, who legitimately inherited a portmanteau of storytelling styles. Founded back in 1976 by his father Yash Johar, Dharma has to its credit 63 films and counting. Of these, the 1990 Amitabh Bachchan-starrer Agneepath — though not a hit — enjoys cult status today. Dostana from 1980 was a commercial success, much like the distinctly different Dostana that Karan made many turns of the sun later in 2008 as a ‘framily’ drama of two men posing as homosexuals, trying to woo their roommate...

This saucy twist alone shows how KJo has never demurred from moving with the times. In fact, when Karan stepped into his father’s production house, in 2004, the tides of fortune changed swiftly. With Karan’s superhit directorial debut, Kuch Kuch Hota Hai (1998), Dharma saw a whole new chapter unfolding, with a series of emo-dramas like Kabhi Khushi Kabhie Gham, (2001), Kal Ho Naa Ho (2003), Kaal (2005), and Kabhi Alvida Naa Kehna (2006). The latter was a refreshingly bold take on dysfunctional marriages. At the time, Shah Rukh Khan, who played the cheating husband in KANK, told Karan they were creating a sure-shot box office dud, given the fate of the 1981 classic, Silsila. But fortune favours the brave. KJo boldly went ahead, and voilà! He was on point! When quizzed at the 2016 HELLO! Hall of Fame Awards about this, he had laughed, “Infidelity is doing pretty well on its own… You don’t need me to market it!”

STAYING RELEVANT

Even a cursory chat with the two game-changing besties throws the spotlight on what it takes to not just make it big but to stay part of the big picture. Manish has been humble enough to conduct highly affordable online courses in fashion design. He has no desire to be mythical and out of touch with Gen Z, Y or X. Then, Karan’s Dharmatic Entertainment — the digital arm of his production house — has produced uber popular OTT series like Call Me Bae with Ananya Panday, The Fame Game with Madhuri Dixit, and both seasons of the Fabulous Wives… These two talents are surfers of the marketplace, always landing on top of the charts, top of the tidal waves. Here are excerpts from their riveting exchange, at HELLO!’s exclusive cover shoot.

KARAN, AS TAILORED BY MANISH

MM: Karan, your father would have been so proud about you winning the Padma Shri in 2020. Don’t you think?

KJO: It’s always been most important for me to make him proud. I always maintain that when you lose a parent, you gain a God. And he’s been my God on a daily basis. I communicate with him. I’m glad I was taken to a place where I can truly make his legacy proud.

MM: You chose to be a single parent. Are you like your own dad, or has the apple fallen far from that tree?

KJO: When Yash and Roohi were coming into my world, I knew raising twins as a single parent would be challenging. I was told to read books, listen to podcasts, take counselling… Then I realised that I was raised by my parent’s strong instincts, and that instinct would be the best parenting tool… As a parent, you go from “It’s my life” to “our life.” Every single day I’m aware that I’m creating not just a legacy of work but leaving behind a value system. I’m a product of my parents’ value system. So, I know that if my kids are good and kind, those qualities can take them far.

MM: We first collaborated for Kuch Kuch Hota Hai in 1998, and so many classics followed after that. Tell me some of your favourite looks from the ones I styled.

KJO: Manish, you’re not only my best friend; you’re a maverick, maestro and trendsetter. Your most defining era with Rangeela and Dilwale Dulhania Le Jayenge continued with Dil To Pagal Hai, Kuch Kuch Hota Hai and K3G. You completely changed the way we looked at fashion within cinema.

If I had to choose your defining look, it’d be Karisma Kapoor in Raja Hindustani. Or Kajol’s sporty avatar in Kuch Kuch Hota Hai. I loved both Madhuri and Karisma’s looks in Dil To Pagal Hai, going into all the looks in K3G’s ‘Bole Chudiyan’ and ‘You Are My Soniya.’ Your use of dupattas for men from the movie continues to be a trend at every sangeet. I also loved Kareena’s look in Jab We Met. These are for the ages, right up to Rani’s [Alia Bhatt’s] sarees in Rocky Aur Rani Kii Prem Kahaani, where you cut two or three drapes to create your own. Nobody could find similar sarees, no matter how hard they looked!

MM: The film industry teaches you to listen to your gut. Your thoughts?

KJO: My instincts are my heroes. I took a chance at a very early stage when my father passed away, and [CEO of Dharma Productions] Apoorva Mehta and I decided to produce Kaal, which wasn’t a commercial success. But failure only makes me feel richer. Kill (2024) was a more recent risk. Everyone protested. “You are spending Rs 50 crore on new talent!” But I believed in Guneet Monga and Nikhil Nagesh Bhat’s vision. We funded it entirely — and it did so well that we made it a franchise!

MM: You’re a man of many firsts. Koffee with Karan is eight seasons old. Do you think your ‘insider’ advantage still has a role to play?

KJO: Koffee With Karan became a part of my being and my brand. Honestly, I never thought that it would go into eight seasons, that 20 years down the line, it would still be so popular!

Yes, I leveraged the insider advantage I had in getting stars because of the special connect we shared, though it wasn’t always easy. But things have changed over the years. With the PR nightmare potential, with the constant social media policing, people are not so candid anymore. So, I decided to change the format and make it more fun. We added games, and I also touched upon information in the public domain. Guests who weren’t close friends also spoke their heart out. I never cut anything out, but if they got uncomfortable and requested an edit, I always did it.

THE DIRECTOR’S CUT

MM: Was there one defining moment when you took our friendship seriously?

KJO: The day I met you! I had no option but to take you seriously as a designer from day one because you were already redefining fashion for cinema. I remember watching you work in your little workshop. It was just you and two tailors. Now, you’re at the top of this fashion empire!

MM: Do you see me as your biggest cheerleader?

KJO: Manish, you’re such a positive person, you give me wings to fly! When I achieve something, I’m always thinking, “Oh my god, what’s next?” But you always say, “Live in the moment, Karan. Celebrate this moment! Enjoy your achievements!” I’m always such a realist, and you’re always a huge optimist!

MM: An outlook on work or life that we share.

KJO: Neither of us lets failure knock us down because we know failure is the closest relative of success. The only thing to do is keep going.

MM: What would the climax of your biopic be like? And who would you cast to play you?

KJO: It would be on a film set — where it all began, and where it should end. So, the scene would have me sitting in a film studio, with a shaft of light on me, much like the iconic scene in Kaagaz Ke Phool. Ranveer Singh would be the best person to play me because he’s a chameleon, and can absorb himself into any character!

MM: The boldest actor where fashion experiments go?

KJO: Ranveer Singh! Almost everything he’s worn has been dramatic and fashionable, breaking stereotypes.

MM: The biggest costume drama moment of your life?

KJO: It has yet to come! I think I’m in a more monochromatic phase of my existence. I’m waiting to explore fashion more dramatically, but it has to be the right event. Hopefully soon!

MM: Which Bollywood couple do you think embodies modern ideas of relating?

KJO: I think Saif and Kareena are the coolest couple. They’re fashionable, chic, royal and great conversationalists.

MM: Who can “out sass” you in a fashion face off?

KJO: No one can compare to Rekha ma’am. I wouldn’t dare to be in her vicinity when it comes to ‘divaness’ or glamour. She’s the queen and will always remain the queen!

MM: Do you think Ranveer’s Kathak performance in Rocky Aur Rani was your strongest statement ever about male right to creative expression?

KJO: Yes. That sequence will always be very special for me. First, it’s a homage to Sanjay Leela Bhansali, one of my favourite directors. Second, it broke many gender stereotypes.

MOMENTS WITH MANISH

KJO: Manish, your strength is not just your talent. It’s also in the way you understand the psychological power of fashion, and what it can do for a leading lady. From Sridevi to Kiara Advani…

MM: I was just born in love with films — fascinated by music, dance, clothing, songs, colour… I observed, wide-eyed, a heroine’s costumes, makeup, hair, her mannerisms, how she held her pallu! When I worked with Sridevi, she was on top of her game and quite an astute stylist herself. I learned so much about costuming from her. Details like not adding a lining in sleeves, how to tackle the lining in the skirt, how to make blouses with a V cut… I also made innovations with her, like adding a princess cut with her blouse. I’d experiment with fabrics; sometimes, I’d pick up readymade clothes and reconstruct them. I’d listen to my instincts on colour, on what silhouettes suited whom, what would work, what wouldn’t.

KJO: Film and fashion became bedfellows when we collaborated in the ’90s. Have things shifted since?

MM: I think films have changed. Where it was all about glamour and looking great, today, films have become a lot more about looking real. Earlier, the songs were the style setters, but today, films are doing away with songs! The glamour quotient has moved to the red carpets, to social media. That medium is transient. The burnout is faster.

KJO: Indian fashionistas, designers and labels are now widely seen on international red carpets...

MM: It’s a matter of great pride. India is gaining more and more attention from the world of global fashion. Look at the recent Louis Vuitton show! They got AR Rahman to compose a Punjabi track [and Bijoy Jain to design the set]. The world has always looked at India for craftsmanship — international ateliers have always had their embroidery work done here. But today, there are [global] celebrities flaunting Indian labels. Dressing Michael Jackson in the ’90s seemed like a one off. But in the past two years, our brand has dressed a lot of celebrities, right up to Beyoncé and her dancers at her recent show in Paris! We also dressed Coco Jones for the Met Gala — her look made it to ‘Best Dressed’ lists across the world! We’ve had Dior and Vivienne Westwood staging fashion shows in Mumbai, and now Prada is using our Kolhapuris. It’s a great time for Indian fashion, and it’s only here to grow.

KJO: Don’t you think Indian men’s fashion has also become a talking point?

MM: We worked on those sangeet looks in Kal Ho Naa Ho for Saif and Shah Rukh with those dupattas around their necks, but it was after Dil Chahta Hai that haircuts and men’s styling came of age. In the past two to three years, men have stepped up and begun to dress differently. Just look at you, Karan! I used to constantly ask you, “What are you wearing!” But menswear became maximalist when this red carpet and social media revolution happened. I’m seeing a lot of change today. Jewellery and cuts have become the highlight in men’s styling.

KJO: You looked regal at the Met Gala yourself. What was that like for you?

MM: I wanted to do something different, yet be myself. So, we chose a look with power shoulders and an elaborate cape with hand embroidery. I wanted to represent my work and my brand in its fullest form, with glamour, drama, workmanship and jewellery. I wanted to own my Indian heritage through the Dandy theme. Indian brands tend to go too traditional to stand out overseas. But our very textiles and workmanship are supreme! So, we can be global and still very Indian.

KJO: You had a nationalistic vision for Aishwarya Rai Bachchan at Cannes this year…

MM: When we met, both agreed she should be in a saree. She was going to be wearing a saree [at Cannes] after 21 years! We tried different handwoven sarees because we wanted to go classic. She was very keen on white. During the fitting, I suggested that she wear sindoor. She laughed at me through the mirror, and said, “Of course!” It was so heartening that her look was so well received and also considered glamorous.

KJO: Any fun bridezilla stories?

MM: I once had a bride who had dreamt of a never-ending trail. I was so worried about her saat pheras! And as I feared, just before the pheras, we had to trim all the extra cancan fabric so she could walk! On another occasion, which was actually quite funny, a bride wanted her blouse really tight. While the baraat and the groom were taking time to arrive, she kept asking the tailor to make it tighter. But when she went to put on the garland, it snapped! So, my assistant was sewing it at the back while she was getting married!

BEHIND THE SEAMS

KJO: You’ve dressed every star from Rekha to Kiara. Who is your eternal muse, and who is your wildcard? MM: Rekha! She’s both my eternal muse and my wildcard!

KJO: If fashion were a Bollywood family, who is the patriarch, the rebel, and the rising star?

MM: Rekha, Ranveer Singh and you, Karan! The rising star would be Janhvi.

KJO: Who’s the dream bride you’d like to design for?

MM: My dream bride would be a lady who is ready to experiment, ready to abandon the lehenga and do something completely different.

KJO: Your favourite creation of mine? Be it a film, a TV show, a fashion look …

MM: Kuch Kuch Hota Hai and Koffee With Karan. As for fashion, I’m loving the new you. It’s far more classic. Look at what we did at Cannes — that off-white and black ensemble, you standing like a monarch on top of those iconic stairs. Those diamond brooches. You looked so regal!

KJO: The one thing you’d change about yourself?

MM: My waistline!

KJO: If someone wrote a book about you, what would it be called?

MM: ‘The Workaholic.’ I just am that simple Simon who works round the clock!

KJO: A holiday that inspired some of your best work?

MM: That’d be all the films we worked on together. K3G, Kal Ho Naa Ho, those walks in New York, all that shopping… I think NYC has been a big influence in my life. It helped me grow up!

KJO: How do you stay ahead of the curve?

MM: Through conviction. The desire to do things nobody has without the fear of failing. I was the first designer to see the fashion potential in costumes. More recently, I launched a makeup line and a fine jewellery line.

KJO: A fashion trend you swear by and one you absolutely hate?

MM: Glamour and sparkle are trends that can never quite die. I can’t stand those over-structured silhouettes, where a model can’t even walk!

KJO: The truth behind the new, lean KJo?

MM: You tell me! Whenever I’ve asked you, you’ve said it’s that OMAD — One Meal A Day — thing! So I have no other choice but to believe you!