The flag-bearer of beauty, grandeur and all things magical about Hindi films, filmmaker Karan Johar has turned 46 today.
His first directorial -- Kuch Kuch Hota Hai made us wonder how a man could have such deep understanding of love and relationships. For most of us, then, how it was shown in Hindi movies, only women were blessed with the instinct to cure everything with affection and care. Later, with Kabhi Khushi Kabhie Gham, Kabhi Alvida Naa Kehna, My Name Is Khan and other films he made, Karan made us realise how he changed the way a 90s kid was looking at Hindi movies. The only kind of Bollywood that could attract us was what he had defined through his work of cinema -- totally colourful, entertaining, emotional and dramatic.
Today, when we see his films, we see sheer empathy, ability to move you emotionally, love beyond words and a sensitively taken stance on subjects like homosexuality and terrorism. Probably that's why the best scenes from his films are the ones where he has given absolute no dialogues to his cast. Like this from Kuch Kuch Hota Hai, where Rahul didn't have to say 'I Love You' to Anjali to tell her how far has he come to love her:
Or this one from Student Of The Year, where a rather timid Abhimanyu realises he's fallen in love with the fancy Shanaya over an 'earring' fiasco:
Or this one, where a simple Rizwan falls in love with Mandira cause. Damn her eyes are so beautiful!
They might be about family ties and romance, but Karan's films always got an additional touch of things that matter to the world. The best of humanity and relationships have been featured in his films.
Remember this scene from My Name Is Khan where Rizwan tells 'Khuda ki raah mohabbat ki raah hai...'
Or this scene from Kabhi Alvida Naa Kehna where he used Amitabh Bachchan to convey why there's no right time to revive a failed relationship:
Give it a thought -- how Bollywood would have looked had Karan's films weren't shining brightly on its surface? It could have been faring well, but would it still look so glamorous, lovable and mystical? Would it still sweep the audience off their feet? Would it be able to garner enough courage to show its 'hero' taking pride in shedding tears?
For any 90s kid, Karan Johar and his films have remained an inevitable part of pop culture.
Let's just say thank you, Karan Johar for everything you are to a quintessential Bollywood lover. A very happy birthday!
https://youtu.be/9vRxFUzE0Tk
