K.Jo and Salman new best friends

Sources say Shah Rukh's best friend Karan Johar and Salman Khan were practically joined at the hips at the premiere of 'Dabangg 2' and also at the after-party

Now this is something that we want to hear more about. Apparently at Dabangg 2's premiere as well as at Sohail's Khan's birthday party afterwards, SRK's best friend Karan Johar was spotted spending considerable time in the company of Salman Khan.

A source who was present at both the events says, Karan stuck like glue to Salman. They remained inseparable throughout. It was shocking for many guests at the party considering that Karan is known to be a close friend of Salman's archrival Shah Rukh Khan.

In fact, apparently Karan was present at the bash even after the party was officially over. The source adds, So much that Salman too at one point of time was wondering why KJo was being so friendly.
A guest who was invited to the Khan bash states, It is a little known fact that Karan is Salman's friend and they worked together in Kuch Kuch Hota Hai. KJo was not seen with Salman till very recently. He is now a regular at Salman's parties but the fact that he stuck to him has managed to surprise everyone.

We wonder if a major announcement is in the offing! 

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Dharma treats their fans this festive season

Dharma Productions have had a good year with all their movies creating magic at the box office. The year started with Hrithik Roshan starrer 'Agneepath' setting the box office on fire followed by Imran Khan and Kareena Kapoor starrer 'Ek Main Aur Ekk Tu' and last came the much awaited Karan Johar's directorial venture 'Student of The Year' which launched 3 newcomers.

With the year coming to an end, the production house has decided to award its fans with exciting Dharma goodies for all the love and support. The brand has commenced a weekly contest on their digital platforms which will prolong the entire month.

The Dharma banner always had an emotional connect with their audiences and as a gratifying response they have kicked off a contest last week where participants will be tested on famous Dharma movies. The contest started with Dharma's latest movie Student of The Year and this week the contest deals with questions related to another blockbuster movie Kabhi Khushi Kabhie Gham.

The digital platforms are buzzing with excitement as the fans and followers are eagerly waiting to get their hands on the exclusive merchandise.

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Dark Films not my Cuppa: Karan Johar

It seems like Karan Johar is keen on producing films more than donning the director's hat. He's currently co-producing an upcoming thriller with Vishal Bharadwaj.

On being asked why he doesn't try dark cinema like some other filmmakers, he has a ready answer. I enjoy watching dark cinema but I don't have the capability to create a film in that genre.

But having said that, I love the kind of work other directors are doing and I totally appreciate them. I watched the small-budget film Udaan. It's one of my top-10 films. I can't make films like Taare Zameen Par or Chak De. They are brilliant films and as an audience, I relish it, KJo told B-S

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If your heart is clean, your actions are clean: KJO

Unlike other Bollywood celebrities, Karan Johar is hardly involved in any controversies. The filmmaker says all of it depends upon how clean a person is at heart.

"If you are clean in your heart, you will be clean in your actions as well. It is as simple as that, " Karan told.

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Kal Ho Naa Ho, nostalgia grips Karan

It has been nine years since Karan Johar's "Kal Ho Naa Ho" hit the screens. The movie, he says, will always be special because it was the last helmed by his father Yash Johar.

"Nine years to 'Kal Ho Naa Ho'... the last film my father helmed at Dharma Productions. An ironic title of a very special film to me... always," Karan tweeted.

The movie released on Nov 28, 2003.

Nikhil Advani, who made his debut as a director with "Kal Ho Naa Ho", also thanked Karan for "giving" him a "dream start".

"Thank you for giving me the dream start!!!" tweeted Advani.

The movie featured Shah Rukh Khan, Saif Ali Khan and Preity Zinta.

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Life Of Pi a must watch, say KJo, Shekhar Kapur

Filmmakers Karan Johar and Shekhar Kapur can't stop praising Oscar-winning filmmaker Ang Lee's "Life Of Pi", based on Yann Martel's Booker Prize winning novel of the same name.

The movie opened here Friday in four languages - English, Hindi, Tamil and Telugu and collected Rs.3.5 crore.

" 'Life Of Pi' - must watch!! Its message will have multiple interpretations and will be open to post viewing analysis. That's the fun of it," Karan tweeted Sunday.

It has been released in 2D and 3D format and Kapur liked the movie so much so that he went to watch it a second time.

"Watching 'Life Of Pi' second time in two days. Brought my daughter and her friends. Nice to see a full house and lots of kids. Fantastic movie," Kapur tweeted.

"Life Of Pi" narrates the tale of a boy who is adrift at sea in a lifeboat with a Royal Bengal tiger after his family is drowned in a shipwreck.

It features Indian actors Tabu and Irrfan Khan and newcomer Suraj Sharma.

The movie was shot in the hillside town of Munnar along with the elegance of Pondicherry - all on 3D.

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Karan Johar's three films go to Marrakech film fest

Three of Bollywood filmmaker Karan Johar's films will be screened at the Marrakech International Film Festival, to be held Nov 30-Dec 8.

"Kabhi Khushi Kabhie Gham", released in 2001, will be screened on the opening night, and the event is expected to be attended by megastar Amitabh Bachchan and Karan himself.

On Dec 2, two of Karan's latest films - "Agneepath" and "Student Of The Year" - will be screened.

The director will be accompanied by veteran actor Rishi Kapoor for "Agneepath" screening, while for SOTY the filmmaker and his cast - Sidharth Malhotra, Alia Bhatt and Varun Dhawan - will be present.

He is happy with the selection of his movies.

"It's a great tribute for the Indian film fraternity to be honoured at an international platform such as this. The fest also has a special emotional connect with me because my films, such as 'Kabhi Khushi...' have a vast audience in Morocco," the 40-year-old said in a statement.

As Hindi cinema completes 100 years in 2013, the film fest officials have decided to pay a tribute to the industry. As a special gesture, they will screen some movies that made a mark this year as well as in the past.

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KJo still in SOTY hangover

Filmmaker Karan Johar doesn't know about his next directorial plans and says that he is still under the hangover of the success of his latest movie "Student Of The Year" (SOTY).

"Lots of conjecture on my next... none of it is true! Will announce details only when everything is final... as of now its still SOTY on my mind," tweeted Johar.

If recent reports are to be believed, the filmmaker is now working on a period love story.

And after working with three newcomers in SOTY, he will team up with his all-time favourite Shah Rukh Khan, with whom he shares a strong professional and personal equation.

Johar last directed Shah Rukh for the 2010 movie "My Name Is Khan".

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I am very scared of Salman Khan: Karan Johar

Filmmaker Karan Johar says actor Salman Khan makes him nervous, but he doesn't know why!

Johar made the revelation during a chat with an Oye 104.8 FM radio host.

When the host asked the filmmaker who is the one actor in front of whom he cannot gather courage to open his mouth, Johar said: "Salman Khan! When he came on my show 'Lift Kara De', I was sitting in my black suit. He was very animated, it was a very serious show. Salman said, 'I am not going to sit here, I want to sit on the floor and you will also have to sit on the floor?.

"I am very scared of Salman for some reason, I don?t know why, though he has been very wonderful to me, he is close to my family from a very long time, but I get nervous in front of him."

Johar worked with Salman in his 1998 directorial debut "Kuch Kuch Hota Hai". The movie also featured Shah Rukh Khan.

Johar, who recently launched three newcomers - Siddharth Malhotra, Varun Dhawan and Ali Bhatt - through "Student Of The Year", says the youth brigade aspires to be like Shah Rukh, but their aim shouldn't be that.

"These kids want to be like Shah Rukh, I just told them the way SRK shoots, takes the light, does not fumble even once and controls the camera with his eyes... no one, I repeat no one, can ever do that! There is only one Shah Rukh Khan," he said.

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I'm not versatile, it's my limitation: Karan Johar

Karan Johar is known for his lavish emotional dramas, but when it came to remaking his father's action film "Agneepath", he gave full rein to director Karan Malhotra. Versatility, he admits, is not his forte, and he can only do human emotional dramas.

"I am not a versatile filmmaker, I can do only one kind of film. I think, I can do human emotional dramas, but I don't think I can pull off action films, thrillers or do something which is completely edgy," Johar told an Oye 104.8 FM radio host.

"Like I can't make films like 'Gangs of Wasseypur', 'Udaan', 'Taare Zameen Par', they are all good films. That's my biggest limitation," he added.

However, the 40-year-old loves his work, and feels his love for movies helps him avoid a feeling of loneliness due to his bachelor status.

"My mother is the most happy that I am not married, as she does not need to share her jewellery with anyone," quipped the filmmaker when asked "Don't you want to get married?"

But on a serious note, he added: "I just want to make films... My office has become my family. People who work in my office have become my world. I really don't feel the need for anyone."

He also admits that he is not as expressive as people think he is.

"The truth is that I hold back! I don't express my feelings to anyone! When I am hurt, I keep it to myself. Then after two to three years, it comes out in some other situation," he said.

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Kirron Kher breaks down after viewing Yash Chopra video tribute

Kirron Kher, who is judging India's Got Talent currently, broke down on the set when the makers played an audio visual on Yash Chopra

Kirron and Karan Johar could not hold back their tears. The crew also observed a minute's silence for the veteran filmmaker. Farah Khan then tried to console her co-judges on the show.

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My work is my lifeline: Karan Johar

He sleeps, eats, drinks and talks movies and Karan Johar candidly admits that he can't think anything beyond celluloid

'My work is my lifeline. My films move me and I don't have a life besides my movies. They are my primary passion, ' Karan told. The man, who gave a new definition to romance with his urbane, chic romantic comedy 'Kuch Kuch Hota Hai' in 1998 and followed it with other films like 'Kal Ho Na Ho', doesn't follow any trend.

'I am driven only by my instinct. I don't go by what is happening around. If remakes are being made, that does not mean I will also make one. Or just because masala action films are working, does not mean I will make one. I make what I believe in and hope to achieve the best with it. I don't follow a norm or go by trends. I make what motivates me, ' he said.

Known for making larger than life films, Karan is the head honcho one of the leading banners Dharma Productions, whose latest offering 'Student Of The Year' has opened to mixed reactions. But for the the 40-year-old, who teamed up with a young team of newcomers - Varun Dhawan, Alia Bhatt and Siddharth Malhotra - it was about fulfilling his wish of making a campus film.

'Whatever I think of, I make. I wanted to make a campus film about friendship, so made 'Student Of The Year'. It was different for us because we worked with newcomers for the first time. The whole idea excited me, so I made the film. Shooting with newcomers was a different but not a difficult experience, ' he said. 'I don't know what is next, ' he added.

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Karan Johar is the main ingredient behind the success story of Student Of The Year

According to the trade, the filmmaker is the main ingredient behind the success story of 'Student Of The Year'

The success of Student of the Year was expected considering that it was Karan Johar who was launching three newcomers and had left no stone unturned in the making of the film. However, the magnitude of the success is something that no one had anticipated. The film has managed to collect around Rs 35 crore in five days a huge sum for a film starring newcomers.

The industry has given a thumbs-up to the film and the three new actors Varun Dhawan, Sidharth Malhotra and Alia Bhatt are already stars in their own right. Trade analyst Amod Mehra says, The one major difference between Karan Johar and the other directors is that he is still very youthful. His films always have something for the entire family, even in a young and a trendy film like Student of the Year. 

His films cater to all sections of the audiences and have emotions and fantasy, which is missing from today's filmmakers who normally walk on the path of realism.

The one thing that he never misses is entertainment and larger than life characters with extraordinary music. In Student of the Year, he made this larger than life college, which can never be seen anywhere and the youngsters loved it. The collections are there for everyone to see. 

Vajir Singh, editor of a trade magazine says, As a director and a brand, Karan Johar's Student of the Year got a huge opening in spite of newcomers and the audience came in to see a Karan Johar film. However after the opening weekend, it is the film that speaks for itself and in that regard Karan never disappoints.
No other director has tried what he did when he had the option of working with any big star. And he has proved it with the collections. Not only is the film successful in terms of numbers but it has also been carried off with elan and grace. In the process he has given three promising superstars in the making as well.

Trade guru Atul Moha says, Karan is one of the blessed filmmakers who know how to blend commerce with creativity. He transformed Dharma Productions into one of the biggest brands not only in India but overseas too. 

People have started identifying Dharma Productions as a house from where comes wholesome entertainers with family values, music, looks, etc and all this has been done single handedly by KJo. The brand Karan Johar goes bigger and bigger. 

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Smothered by Karan Johar, Prakash Jha's film runs helter skelter

If it's impossible to release a film on the same Friday as Karan Johar, it is next to impossible to place your product in the following week either. 

This, Prakash Jha has learnt as his film Chakravyuha gets set to release after Karan Johar Student Of The Year (SOTY). 

Says a source close to Jha, There is almost non-existence space for the marketing of Chakravyuha. Every conceivable advertorial spot on television and other conventional media for a movie's marketing are reserved for Karan Johar's film. Jha has to depend almost entirely on theatrical trailers to put his product before the audience.
An option explored by Prakash Jha was to let SOTY be released and then unleash an intense wave of publicity and marketing in the last week leading up to his release. However that option had to be discarded since Chakravyuha opens on Wednesday, two days ahead of the customary Friday opening, which gives Jha's film a mere 5-day window post-SOTY release. 

Says the source close to Jha, Chakravyuha finds itself in a peculiar spot. It has all its stars from Arjun Rampal to Om puri most willing to promote the film, but not enough space to do do, the spotlight being on Karan Johar and his three newcomers.

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Karan takes a dig at Ram Gopal and his tweets

It was filmmaker Karan Johar's turn to take a dig at Ram Gopal Varma saying that he feels important that RGV chose him to market his film.

"I was thrilled, I was thrilled to bits to read each and every tweet, I waited for the next one actually. He is an exceptionally prolific filmmaker... I mean really that he gave me the importance for being the big tool to market his films, I think nothing could make me prouder," the 40-year-old said here at the launch of Filmfare magazine edition. 

The edition features Alia Bhatt, Varun Dhawan and Siddharth Malhotra on the cover page, all three of whom debut with Karan's "Student of The Year" that hits theatres Oct 19.

"I feel like the most important person on the earth, thank you. Secondly, I realised he is still alive, you know I really got worried for a moment because I thought we have lost him, so, I don't want such a great filmmaker to ever, ever leave us. So, I am so happy," Karan added.
When asked to comment on Ram Gopal Varma's film "Bhoot Returns", Karan said: "Oh, he is returning from where? I have already said he was alive. It's his debut, is it? 'Bhoot Returns'. I am not so sure." 

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Matru Ki Bijli Ka Mandola trailer to release with SOTY

The trailer of actor Imran Khan's upcoming film "Matru Ki Bijli Ka Mandola" will be released with Karan Johar's "Student Of The Year" Oct 19.

Johar, who has roped in Imran for his next production venture, is so fond of the actor's work that he decided to attach "Matru Ki Bijli Ka Mandola" first look with SOTY.

When contacted, Imran's spokesperson confirmed the news saying: "The much-awaited trailer of 'Matru Ki Bijli Ka Mandola' will be seen in theatres with SOTY."

Directed by Vishal Bhardwaj, "Matru Ki..." will see Imran as a Haryanvi boy in the movie and it also stars Anushka Sharma, Pankaj Kapur and Shabana Azmi in the lead roles.

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KJo, Punit Malhotra in dilemma

Director Punit Malhotra and filmmaker Karan Johar, who have signed actor Imran Khan for their next project, are confused about which look to opt for the actor in their film.

The trio, who last worked together in 2010 film "I Hate Luv Storys", has teamed up again for a love story, which is expected to go on the floors this month.

Lately Imran has transformed from a chocolate boy to rough tough guy for Vishal Bhardwaj's "Matru Ki Bijlee Ka Mandola" and Milan Luthria's "Once Upon A Time In Mumbaai 2" and this has left the filmmakers confused.

According to sources, Malhotra and Johar are impressed with Imran's new rough look but are unable to decide which look would suit him for their project.

Malhotra has even contacted stylists from New York, London, Australia and India to finalise the right look for Imran's character.

The yet-to-be-titled film will be ready for release in the middle of 2013.

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SOTY a blockbuster, predicts Mahesh Bhatt

Acclaimed filmmaker Mahesh Bhatt, whose daughter Alia is making her Bollywood debut with "Student Of The Year" (SOTY), feels the movie will prove to be a 'blockbuster'.

"Karan Johar's SOTY is a winner! Everything in the movie works.The three newcomers work like magic. It has lots of heart. It's a BLOCKBUSTER, " Mahesh Bhatt tweeted.

Apart from Alia, the movie launches David Dhawan's son Varun and model-turned-actor Sidharth Malhotra.

The film's songs are already topping charts, and it is expected to get a good response upon its release Oct 19.

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Kuch Kuch Hota Hai animated version on hold

Filmmaker Karan Johar, who wanted to make an animated version of his hit directorial debut "Kuch Kuch Hota Hai", says he has now kept the project on hold.

"Animation films are not working nowadays, so as of now I have kept it on stand-by. Let's see when the market changes. Nothing is finalised right now. It is on a tentative stage, " Johar told IANS.

Released in 1998, the film starred popular on-screen couple Shah Rukh Khan and Kajol. Actress Rani Mukerji too featured in a supporting role, while Salman Khan made a guest appearance in it.

Karan had titled the animated version as "Koochie Koochie Hota Hai".

"Kuch Kuch Hota Hai" remains one of Johar's most popular films that made him a household name.

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Kangna prepares to look her best for Karan Johar

Kangna Ranaut to take lessons in crossfit training to prepare for her first-ever Karan Johar production

Known to be a method actor, Kangna Ranaut usually leaves no stone unturned to prepare for her characters in her films. The actress has just signed a Karan Johar film that will soon go on the floors and apparently she will now be learning crossfit training to get into the skin of her character.

A source informs, The film helmed by Rensil D'Silva is a thriller. This will be her first KJo production and she wants to give it her best shot.

Sources say that Kangs plays a medical student in the film. The actress had also done rigorous physical training for her superhero film with Hrithik Roshan.

The source adds, It was her decision to undergo the training process so that she looks her best in the film.` Kangna chose not to reply to our SMS.

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