Filmmaker Karan Johar has spoken out about what he sees as a growing fixation with hyper-masculine storytelling in Hindi cinema, saying the industry is currently dominated by “big alpha” energy and testosterone-driven narratives.
In an interview with The Week, Johar said that theatrical releases are increasingly centred around high-octane, male-led stories marked by aggression and machismo, often at the cost of layered storytelling.
He, however, pointed out that OTT platforms continue to offer more nuanced narratives.
Highlighting what he described as the industry’s “herd mentality”, Johar said, “If one film works in a certain zone, there will be 10 more. So you will see 10 more high-octane testosterone movies where men are just walking in slow motion for no reason and going nowhere in particular, but they will be walking in that way. They’ll all have beards and they will all smoke. Apparently, that’s what women like to watch, or at least, that’s what the men think.”
The filmmaker also recalled the backlash he faced for portraying a different kind of masculinity in his 2023 film Rocky Aur Rani Kii Prem Kahaani. Referring to criticism over a scene featuring a male character performing classical dance, Johar said, “I had a whole barrage of mainstream audiences who asked, ‘How could you depict a man like that?’ And I’m like, if I am going to focus my attention on a certain audience and not have conviction, then why am I here? I am a born feminist and will always tell a feminist story.”
On the work front, Johar is backing Lakshya and Ananya Panday-starrer Chaand Mera Dil, directed by Vivek Soni and produced under Dharma Productions. Additionally, Johar confirmed that the ninth season of his talk show Koffee With Karan, set to premiere later this year.