Karan Johar: ‘Every Day Is a Battle in the Entertainment Industry’

At the trailer launch of Akaal in Mumbai, Karan Johar, the renowned filmmaker and producer, spoke candidly about the challenges he faces in the entertainment industry and how he relates to the character of Akaal Singh in the film. Directed by Gippy Grewal, Akaal marks Dharma Productions’ first venture into Punjabi cinema. Johar shared his thoughts on the competitive nature of the industry and how social media has intensified the battle for creative artists.

 

Karan Johar began by reflecting on how being in the entertainment industry feels like an ongoing battle: “I think a character like Akaal Singh is the unconquered. For us creative artists, every day is a battle. There isn’t even a single day when I don’t feel like I’m on a battlefield. And now, with social media, we have a large troll army that we fight every day. Sometimes, I feel like I’m standing alone, and the troll army is all against me. I feel Akaal Singh myself on social media.”

 

Johar further emphasized that the battle is far from over and success is a constant challenge. He compared his experiences to those of Akaal Singh, the central character in Akaal: “I don’t believe we are unconquered; we are far from it. There are miles to go before we sleep. Every single day is a challenge for us in the entertainment business. There isn’t even a single day when I wake up and I feel defeated. I never feel like I have conquered everything. I always feel that There is so much to achieve. This is something I’ve learned from my father. He always said that the closest ally to success is failure and vice versa.”

 

Johar went on to explain how he views both success and failure as transient states, and how it’s important to not let either define you:”The truth is that the only way you can actually achieve something in the industry is by accepting both success and failure. If you’ve found success, failure will eventually come, and if you’ve faced failure, success will eventually come as well. Neither should be taken too seriously; that is what keeps your mind at peace.”

 

Johar also shared his thoughts on how some people change after experiencing success, and how it’s important to stay grounded:”When I see some people go a little mad after achieving some success, I think to myself that they don’t know what lies ahead. Similarly, you can’t let failure bog you down because failure is just a status, not the entire reality.”

 

This philosophical perspective on the ups and downs of the industry highlights Johar’s resilience and determination to continue pushing forward, no matter the obstacles. His words resonated deeply at the trailer launch of Akaal, a film that marks a new chapter for Dharma Productions as it ventures into Punjabi cinema for the first time.

 

Directed by Gippy Grewal, Akaal will be hitting the big screens on 10th April, 2025.