KJo apologizes for turning Anjali feminine from tomboyish

Regrets How He Changed 'Anjali' In Debut

Eighteen years after he made his directorial debut with blockbuster romance 'Kuch Kuch Hota Hai', filmmaker Karan Johar publicly apologized for the way he transformed Anjali (played by Kajol) from a tomboy into a decidedly feminine character, who then finds love.

"It was ridiculous of me to have done that. Shabana Azmi called me after she watched the movie and asked why it was that Anjali found only rejection when she had short hair and played basketball and later, when she was shown as a sari-wearing, feminine woman with long hair, she finds love," said Johar, after his session with Filmfare editor Jitesh Pillai on the topic, 'Men, Women and Loneliness'. "It was really stupid. I apologize,'' he said.

The apology was in response to a question posed by Zohra Sayyed, a 22-year-old doing her Masters at Mumbai University . She told TOI later that she had watched the movie when she was eight or nine. "I was a tomboy and it bothered me to see that transformation," she said.

Earlier, Johar spoke of his experience of loneliness."You could be surrounded by people and still feel lonely. It's a state of mind. I have a very loving family and lots of friends. But as an individual, I have gone through loneliness."

Johar was also candid about his experiences with unrequited love. "I've never fallen in love with anyone who has loved me back -that has kept my self-esteem in check. Every time I have a hit movie, I have a failed relationship. I've had #3epicfailedrelationships. I feel sad that love has been a failure in my life," he said.

Johar added: "I'm 44, I've have been single for major part of the li fe. When peo ple say go and put yourself out there, I don't know what that 'there' is.

Where is that 'there'? I can't put myself anymore out there... And people say, in your position you can find anyone. But I don't know what that position is, I have tried every position."

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