Karan Johar’s House Was Mortgaged, Mom Hiroo Had A Heart Attack; This Superstar Saved The Day

Karan Johar’s Darkest Phase: When His House Was Mortgaged & Amitabh Bachchan Came to the Rescue

Instagram

Mumbai: Dharma Productions is now synonymous with grandeur, blockbuster hits, and Bollywood’s most celebrated films. However, few know that there was a time when Karan Johar’s family faced a financial crisis that nearly brought them to their knees. Before Karan established himself as a filmmaker in the late 1990s, Dharma Productions was struggling, and things got so bad that the Johars had to mortgage their house.

In a recent interview with Lehren Retro, filmmaker Nikkhil Advani, who worked closely with Karan Johar and his father, Yash Johar, during the making of Kuch Kuch Hota Hai, Kabhi Khushi Kabhie Gham, and Kal Ho Naa Ho, revealed shocking details about the hardships the Johars endured.

“I remember Karan telling me that there was a time when he sold his lights and camera. He had mortgaged his house. Hiroo aunty (Karan’s mother) had a heart attack. They were even selling some of the camera and light equipment to get some funds,” Nikkhil shared.

Nikkhil recounted that Amitabh Bachchan, who was close to Yash Johar, visited Hiroo Johar at Breach Candy Hospital after learning about her health condition. It was during this visit that a conversation about a potential film led to the birth of Agneepath.

“Amit ji met Yash uncle and asked, ‘How is Hiroo?’ They were both very close as they were school friends. Yash uncle told him, ‘She is in Breach Candy hospital.’ Amit ji left his shoot and rushed to see her in the hospital,” Nikkhil narrated.

What followed was a game-changing moment for Dharma Productions. Amitabh Bachchan, aware of their financial struggles, decided to offer his support.

“He simply said, ‘I know what you’re going through, I know what the condition is right now. I am giving you my dates, let’s start.’ There was a subject on Scarface, and Amit ji suggested they make a film together. That’s how Agneepath came about,” Nikkhil explained.

Unfortunately, despite its strong performances and cult following today, Agneepath wasn’t a commercial success at the time. However, this film helped Dharma Productions stay afloat during one of its toughest phases.

In an earlier interview with Aapka Apna Zakir, Karan Johar shared that his father, Yash Johar, took a massive loan to set up Dharma Productions. The company’s first major hit, Dostana, was a commercial success, but several subsequent flops put them in financial distress.

Karan Johar admitted that one of his biggest regrets was that his father couldn’t witness the golden era of Dharma Productions. “My father worked as a production controller for 30 years before setting up his own company. I wish he could have seen what Dharma is today,” Karan said.