Karan Johar Birthday Special: Did You Know This Rajkumar Hirani Film Inspired The Director To Drop 'K' From His Movie Titles?
Once upon a time, Karan Johar was obsessed with the letter 'K' thanks to his love for numerology, titling his movies and even his productions starting with the alphabet. Then he saw a Bollywood movie in 2006, and that changed his perspective on numerology forever. What happened?
When Karan Johar began his directorial career in 1998 with Kuch Kuch Hota Hai, he had an obsession that he found common with his friend Ekta Kapoor: naming films and shows with titles starting with the letter 'K'. This practice was based on numerological advice. Ekta Kapoor's early 2000s shows all started with 'K', like Kyunki Saas Bhi Kabhi Bahu Thi, Kahaani Ghar Ghar Ki, and Kkutumb. While many of these shows were highly successful, it's unclear if their success can be credited to numerology, given the short-lived runs of shows like Kahaani Humaray Mahabharat Ki and Kavyanjali. Also the 'K' factor didn't work for the initial movies she produced. Nowadays the TV czarina isn't keen on naming her shows beginning with 'K'. Karan Johar Is in Awe of Kartik Aaryan’s Chandu Champion Trailer, Says ‘Blood, Sweat, and Tears Are Evident’.
Similarly, Karan Johar famously titled his early directorials with 'K', such as Kuch Kuch Hota Hai, Kabhi Khushi Kabhie Gham, and Kabhi Alvida Naa Kehna. His productions from that era also began with 'K', including Kal Ho Naa Ho and Kaal.
What Could've Factored Into This Numerology Obsession
You can't blame Karan Johar for believing in superstitions. When he made Kuch Kuch Hota Hai, his home banner was struggling. Karan's late father, Yash Johar, had success with his first film as a producer, the 1980 movie Dostana, starring Amitabh Bachchan and Shatrughan Sinha. However, subsequent releases like Duniya, Muqaddar Ka Faisla, Agneepath, Gumrah, and Duplicate did not fare well at the box office. Although Agneepath is considered a cult classic today and its 2012 remake was a success, the original underperformed, despite Amitabh Bachchan winning a (controversial) National Award for Best Actor. Similarly, Duplicate, known for Shah Rukh Khan's double role and its soundtrack, was an average grosser, but it strengthened SRK's relationship with the Johars.
After Karan Johar took control of the production house, delivering major hits like Kuch Kuch Hota Hai and Kabhi Khushi Kabhie Gham, Dharma Productions became one of India's leading production companies and a sought-after banner by actors. There was no turning back since then.
Given how Karan Johar turned his struggling home banner around through his belief in numerology and 'K' titles, what led him to drop the practice?
Lage Raho Munna Bhai
The change stemmed from Rajkumar Hirani's Lage Raho Munna Bhai, which altered Karan Johar's perspective on numerology and superstitions. The Sanjay Dutt-starrer addresses blind beliefs and features a climax where the protagonist exposes a shady astrologer, showing that numerology and astrology don't determine one's fate. This was Rajkumar Hirani's second directorial and a spiritual sequel to his debut Munnabhai MBBS. The movie also starred Vidya Balan, Arshad Warsi, Boman Irani, Saurabh Shukla, Jimmy Shergill, Dilip Prabhavalkar, Dia Mirza and Abhishek Bachchan in a cameo. Lage Raho Munna Bhai was a major hit at the box office.
Karan Johar was so moved by the film that he decided to abandon his superstitions. In a 2006 interview with TOI, he said, "When I walked out of the cinema after watching Lage Raho Munna Bhai in New York, I thought I should drop the 'K'. It was the effect the film had on me. It inspires you to tell the truth and fills you with inspiration. So, if I do drop the 'K', it will be courtesy of Munna Bhai, and this is my first time saying this." ‘Shah Rukh Khan Lag Rahe Ho’ Karan Johar Smiles As Fan Compares Him With SRK at Mumbai Airport! (Watch Video).
Did Karan Johar change his naming pattern after Lage Raho Munna Bhai? Let’s see...
Ditching 'K'
Lage Raho Munna Bhai was released in 2006, the same year as Kabhi Alvida Naa Kehna. Karan Johar's next production was in 2008 with Dostana, the first Dharma Productions film since Kuch Kuch Hota Hai that did not start with 'K'. Since 2008, Dharma Productions has released 45 films, and only four began with 'K': Kurbaan, Kapoor & Sons, Kalank, and Kesari. Kurbaan and Kalank were flops, Kapoor & Sons was an average performer, and Kesari was a hit. Karan Johar found greater success with films not starting with 'K'.
Regarding his own directorial work, Karan Johar made four feature films after KANK, none of which began with 'K': My Name is Khan, Student of the Year, Ae Dil Hai Mushkil, and Rocky Aur Rani Kii Prem Kahaani. It’s not that he abandoned numerology altogether; the extra 'i' in Rocky Aur Rani Kii Prem Kahaani suggests otherwise.
In the same 2006 interview, Johar said, "K is a very overburdened alphabet in the film industry, and I think I should relieve it of any stress and step out. I've gone through the whole process of finding out the future, and I now want to live in the present. Let the future pave the way for me without me knowing it." By then, it seems the filmmaker had realised he could succeed without relying on superstitions.
(The above story first appeared on LatestLY on May 25, 2024 07:01 AM IST. For more news and updates on politics, world, sports, entertainment and lifestyle, log on to our website latestly.com).