'They make more money': Karan Johar was a different career plan for his kids. Not actors, not directors, not producers

Filmmaker Karan Johar, celebrated for introducing fresh faces like Alia Bhatt, Varun Dhawan, and Sidharth Malhotra to Hindi cinema, has always been known for his straightforward and open nature. In a recent conversation, he shared that he doesn’t wish for his twins, Roohi and Yash, to pursue acting careers in Bollywood.

Instead, he envisions them working in the beauty industry as professional hair and makeup artists. Karan humorously remarked that the beauty experts in the film world earn substantial incomes today and that the profession holds greater financial promise than many others. He added that if one of his children chose to specialize in hair styling and the other in makeup, it would be an ideal and profitable combination for both.

During the same discussion on Komal Nahta’s Game Changers podcast, Karan also shed light on the growing issue of celebrity entourages and the inflated expenses they bring. He clarified that his concerns are driven more by ethics than by finances.

As a filmmaker and producer, he emphasized that every project has a set budget, and if an actor wishes to travel with a larger team, the additional costs should be covered personally. Karan questioned why certain stars need to bring six to eight people along for shoots when the essential requirement of their job is simply to look good on screen. He added that while it is understandable for actors portraying athletes or physically demanding roles to have special arrangements funded by production houses, regular actors earning large fees should take responsibility for their own extras.

Karan also voiced his disapproval of the widespread practice of corporate bookings that artificially boost box-office numbers. He criticized how the industry manipulates such data to project success, pointing out that audiences only care about whether a film is entertaining, not how many tickets were bought in bulk.

Karan Johar became a father to twins, Roohi and Yash, through surrogacy in 2017 and often speaks about the challenges of single parenthood, sharing that his mother, Hiroo Johar, plays a key role in raising them. Professionally, he made a grand return to direction in 2023 with the romantic comedy Rocky Aur Rani Ki Prem Kahani, starring Ranveer Singh and Alia Bhatt in leading roles.