Karan Johar breaks silence on Bollywood’s recent failures at box office
From star power to newcomers, he insists only audiences decide success
This year, most high-budget Hindi films have failed to leave a lasting impression at the box office, except for a few hits like Chhaava.
When asked about the poor performance of high-budget productions, Karan Johar, who is supporting Teja Sajja's Mirai, was seen defending Bollywood at the film's recent press conference.
When asked if excessive star fees and production costs were to blame during the event, Karan brushed the idea aside and emphasised that "every film has its own destiny."
He explained, “It has also happened many times that there are very big stars in a film, and it has worked. So, this is not at all the case. All the actors have started understanding now that they have to contribute to the film’s vision. They are dealing separately. Everybody has become understanding of our times. So, we can’t put everything in a box – if we take young actors and have a big vision, then this film will work. It has happened several times that such films also haven’t worked. You can’t say anything for sure.”
Karan further added, “There are different eras, films, and experiences. We have watched so many films that actually keep changing our narratives. Now, many musical films will be released with newcomers, but that doesn’t mean all of them will become a Saiyaara. Animation films will also come, but they also won’t necessarily become Narsimha Mahavatar. Box office has no rules.”
As The filmmaker emphasised that storytelling remains the cornerstone of cinema, noting that it is ultimately the audience who determines whether a film earns love, respect, and commercial success.