Karan Johar bats for correcting gender politics in Bollywood: ‘Women-led films are doing better numbers’

Karan Johar spoke recently about pay parity in Bollywood and said that it is important to showcase correct gender politics in films. Karan spoke of some recent women-led films and said that many of them are doing better box-office openings than some films headlined by big male stars.

During a conversation with Lilly Singh on her podcast, Karan said, “When Alia did Gangubai Kathiawadi, that, to me, was a big victory in cinema. That character was completely driven by her performance and it opened to larger numbers than many leading men who are movie stars. This is big sign that a woman can lead a film. Men talk about pay parity and that they should be paid more because they bring more money, but we are talking about the time when women’s movies are opening much higher than some big male movie stars who are opening to dismal box office numbers.”

He pressed on the importance of being sensitive in portraying gender politics on screen. “If we can get our politics right… I am not saying always entertain. Cinema is meant for large scale, entertainment, visual spectacle, joy, everything that you are meant to feel but you can do it all without the wrong politics. You can entertain a large audience across the nation by just not propagating, positioning and platforming incorrect gender politics or incorrect social norms, incorrect ways of being. Just basics have to be followed.”

Karan’s last directorial was the Alia Bhatt and Ranveer Singh starrer Rocky Aur Rani Kii Prem Kahaani which released in theatres in 2023.