Karan Johar calls out: "Janhvi, Ananya, Sara? What about Lakshya and Sidharth, the true OUTSIDERS"

Karan Johar, one of Bollywood’s most prominent filmmakers and producers, has long been a lightning rod for the nepotism debate in the Indian film industry. Frequently labeled as the “flag-bearer of nepotism,” Johar has often faced criticism for launching star kids and allegedly sidelining outsiders. But in a recent candid appearance on entrepreneur Raj Shamani’s podcast, he offered a nuanced, impassioned defense, both of his work and of the industry's inner workings.

In the age of social media where perception often overshadows reality, Johar took the opportunity to present the other side of the story. While acknowledging the presence of privilege, he questioned the selective outrage that often targets only a part of the film ecosystem.

"I am not the sole component of a really successful film. If I say that a film worked only because of the star, then I am diminishing the efforts of the 100 people who worked on that film. The captain of the ship, if he’s an outsider, then why aren’t you giving him credit? Why are you denying me that credit just because a 'nepo kid' was launched in the film?"

This statement cuts to the core of Johar’s defense that filmmaking is a collaborative process involving hundreds of professionals, many of whom are outsiders and rarely acknowledged. He emphasizes that the debate is often reduced to just the faces on the poster, ignoring the countless others who contribute behind the scenes.

"What about the 50 outsiders working on set, whose passion, livelihood, and dreams depend on the film? Why aren't they being acknowledged?"

Johar also took aim at the common belief that his production house, Dharma Productions, only launches those with industry connections. Citing examples from his own filmography, he highlighted several outsiders who have received significant breaks under his banner.

"Is it fair to say that we launch 50 outsiders across different departments, but when it comes to actors, we only launch five? That’s simply not true. People talk, but they don’t look at the full picture."

He recalled how in 2012, when he launched Alia Bhatt and Varun Dhawan in Student of the Year, the term “nepotism” wasn’t even being used in the way it is today. Back then, children of directors weren’t necessarily seen as “star kids.”

"When I launched Varun and Alia in Student of the Year, directors’ kids were not even considered nepotism at the time, only superstar kids were. In 2011, nobody looked at a director’s child as a 'star kid.' They were just a part of the industry, assistants maybe, and I met Alia through someone." He also drew attention to Sidharth Malhotra, another lead from the same film, who had no prior connections to the film industry.

"And what about Sidharth Malhotra? He was also a lead in that film. Why don’t you talk about him? In the same year, you’ll highlight someone else's launch but ignore that."

Karan further pointed to recent examples like Lakshya Lalwani, the lead in the action film Kill, which was both critically and commercially successful. "You talk about Janhvi, Sara, Ananya, but what about Lakshya Lalwani? He was launched in Kill, a ?52 crore film entirely mounted on his shoulders. He's an outsider. I didn’t know him at all. Today, he's being called 'Debut of the Year.' He’s already doing two or three more films. Why aren’t you talking about him?"

Lakshya’s success, along with Raghav Juyal’s breakout performance in the same film, both came through Johar’s platform, yet, as he noted, there’s little to no public recognition of these efforts. "Even Raghav Juyal said on stage that Kill was his biggest break, he’s from Dehradun, not the industry. Guneet Monga and I gave him that break. He’s also an outsider. Why won’t you give me credit for that?"

While Johar clarifies that he’s not seeking praise, he argues that critics should at least acknowledge the full scope of his contributions. "I’m not asking for praise. I’m just putting forth analytics. If you believe in data, I’m giving you data. Every year, I introduce at least one new actor who’s also an outsider. But no one talks about them. No one appreciates them."

In this raw and reflective conversation, Karan Johar asks for a more balanced dialogue, one that moves beyond buzzwords and digs into the complexities of the entertainment industry. He doesn’t deny that nepotism exists but insists that the story isn’t black and white. Perhaps it’s time for the conversation to reflect that too.