Karan Johar is one of the most profound filmmakers in Bollywood. He made his directorial comeback last year with Rocky Aur Rani Kii Prem Kahaani. The film led by Ranveer Singh and Alia Bhatt also starred legendary stars Shabana Azmi, Jaya Bachchan, and Dharmendra in key roles. The film received immense love from the audiences, which translated at the box office as well. During a recent conversation, Karan Johar revealed that RARKPK came naturally to him and how Shabana Azmi reacted to the film’s narration.
Karan Johar recalls Zoya Akhtar's reaction when he loved film on stalking
In a recent interview with Times Of India, Karan Johar mentioned how one’s upbringing and surroundings influence one’s mindset. He suggested that instead of canceling one, enough space to learn, change and evolve must be given. In order to elucidate his point, he cited the example of Rocky Aur Rani Kii Prem Kahaani which he claimed ‘came easily’ to him “because those are my personal politics, and they have evolved over the years.”
He further admitted that his debut film Kuch Kuch Hota Hai had a lot of gender politics, but he didn’t know anything better at that point in time. He also shared how he got the understanding that a man chasing a woman romantically is stalking after being pointed out by filmmaker Zoya Akhtar.
He said, “I thought yeh toh asshiqui hai, yeh toh pyaar hai, ye mohabbat hai (I thought this is love) till Zoya Ahktar fired me one day. I told her that I loved a film which was predominantly about it (stalking). In the interval, she was shivering. I looked at her and asked, ‘What happened?’ I’m loving it.’ she was like, ‘Because you’re stupid.’ While driving back, she told me, ‘you got to change the way you think.’ Then she planted the thought in my head and I completely agreed,” he said.
Shabana Azmi's reaction to Rocky Aur Rani Kii Prem Kahaani
In addition to this, he also spoke about the gender politics in the film, about which he was very sure about. He recalled telling Shabana Azmi that she had to be prim and proper, even when she was devastated.
He said, “What was non-negotiable for me was that (I told her) Shabanaji, you have to wear hair and makeup even when you're distraught. She was like, ‘What do you mean? I’m cooking in the kitchen and my hair are open? Why am I wearing a beautiful saree and jewelry in the kitchen? I was like, 'Kyunki yeh meri picture hai! (Because it’s my picture)”
Karan Johar returned to director's chair after seven years after Ae Dil Hai Mushkil with Rocky Aur Rani Kii Prem Kahaani.
