Dharma’s Dark Days: Karan Johar Talks About Family Sacrifices Behind the Spotlight

‘Dad Would’ve Laughed at Nepotism Tag’: Karan Johar Opens Up About Yash Johar’s Tough Times

Filmmaker Karan Johar, often dubbed the “flag-bearer of nepotism” after Kangana Ranaut’s infamous remark on Koffee with Karan in 2017, recently shared heartfelt insights into his family’s early struggles in Bollywood.

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Known for launching star kids like Alia Bhatt, Varun Dhawan, Ananya Panday, Janhvi Kapoor, and Ishaan Khatter under his Dharma Productions banner, Karan revealed that the tag of nepotism amuses him—especially considering the tough times his father, legendary producer Yash Johar, faced during the 1980s and ’90s.

Speaking on Jay Shetty’s podcast, Karan recalled, “When my father produced his very first film in 1980, that did really well. And four films subsequently failed. We had a tough financial time. There was no funding from studios or banks those days.”

Dharma Productions was launched by Yash Johar with the 1980 hit Dostana, directed by Raj Khosla and starring Amitabh Bachchan and Shatrughan Sinha. However, after that success, four consecutive films underperformed at the box office, including Duniya (1984) by Ramesh Talwar, Muqaddar Ka Faisla (1987) by Prakash Mehra, and Ek Hi Raasta (1993) by Mukul S. Anand.

Karan shared that during these challenging years, his father had to sell land, and his mother, Hiroo Johar, sold her jewelry to keep the family afloat. “My father would have laughed at the nepotism tag,” Karan said, underscoring the perseverance and sacrifices that shaped Dharma Productions.