Karan Johar took to Instagram to reveal what he described as the proudest film under Dharma Productions to date. As part of his post he declared, “Our next offering is the 24th debutant filmmaker we have introduced to Hindi cinema!” In a heartfelt message, he reflected on his journey as a producer, stating, “When I began producing films (once I stepped into Dharma as an active part of the company), in 2003 with ‘Kal Ho Naa Ho’ – the idea was to empower filmmakers and storytellers… to pay it forward. We got it right, we got it wrong… but the intent was always to put out stories and films we believed in. The motive was only either to entertain, seek acclaim, or to simply have fun at the movies!”
Taking a moment to address critics who accuse him of nepotism, Karan added, “(Trivia for trollers: 90 percent of them are ‘outsiders’). I rarely write notes before the release of a film but few films excite me, energise me, and inspire me the way the process of this film has…” He praised the relentless efforts of the film’s first-time director and their collaborative producer, emphasising, “Our collaborative producer and debutant director have been on the journey of this film for four years, the director did nothing else but put his head down and work relentlessly on his film combating pandemic delays and other unforeseen circumstances.” And then, things started looking up.
Karan expressed his gratitude to the entire cast and crew, saying, “I have been inspired by the team of actors and technicians who gave the film and the team so much consistent support and love.” On the unpredictable nature of box office success, he candidly shared, “One can never predict commercial success but what I can say with all my heart is that this project is one of Dharma’s proudest films! I say this as a filmmaker and an audience… I pray for the team that the audience is coloured in the colour of their passion.”
The post, shared on an orange postcard, kept the film’s title a mystery. However, fans were quick to speculate that the vibrant colour hinted at none other than ‘Kesari Chapter 2’. The much-awaited epic directed by first time filmmaker Karan Singh Tyagi, features a stellar cast including Akshay Kumar, R Madhavan and Ananya Panday in lead roles.
