“I will never do it again!” says Karan of lusty item numbers, in his most feminist interview yet!

By Nichola

on December 01, 2017

In an interview to SheThePeople.TV, filmmaker Karan Johar has thrashed the film industry for objectification of women and rendered an apology for having item numbers in his own films. “The moment you put a woman in the centre and a thousand men looking at her lustingly, it's setting the wrong example. As a filmmaker I have made those mistakes and I will never do it again,” Karan declared.

He discussed how and why film played a big role in doing away with gender stereotypes; something the industry is finally taking notice of. “Films set the fabric of our times. They can be immensely impressionable. When you show a man chasing a woman, it seems like it is all so passionate in love but it could amount to stalking. When you show a man being abusive to a woman you think he is being angry but no, he is being wrong. Things you show on celluloid sometimes set a template. So we as filmmakers need to be very responsible. Sometimes you don't realise the things you write or project but you don't know that they will actually impact society,” he veteran producer pointed out.

Speaking on feminism, he revealed, “Feminism is beyond what we know it is. It's hard for one word to encapsulate the power of a woman. Having been raised by a wonderful and progressive woman, my mom and even my aunts - I think progressiveness was in my DNA. To me, it's my instinct to be a feminist...to have a progressive stance on what woman can achieve in the world. I am a total feminist.”

Regarding the portrayal of women in film, he mused, “I don't know if I draw a distinction in my head. I just react to human beings no matter what gender they are. I have met women who have a certain more masculine energy about them. I am telling a story. If the woman has a lot to do in the film, then that's the story. My sense of belief in equality is such a part of my grain that I don't know how to disassociate from it.”

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He was quick to deny that the Harvey Weinstein case has given the entire industry a bad name… “Not at all,” he vouched, adding, “It gives you policing and accountability and that is a good thing. There are dark zones of the entertainment industry where there are powerful people taking advantage of their positions - sometimes sexually and sometimes otherwise. I am glad this is being covered by the media. Hopefully now people will think twice. Once you are in a position of power, you think you own everything, including their libidos. I don't think that's done. Anything that's mutual is great...if it's amiable. If it doesn't amount to any tragic use of power. These incidents, the Harvey Weinstein case and others that came out as a result of the Weinstein explosion, I think it's great. Conversation changes things. Fear psychosis has spread and everyone is being more careful. Not just in the film fraternity but fraternities across.”

Speaking on payment disparity, he averred, “I think this conversation is very integral and it is bringing truths to the surface. It is about a trajectory that everyone conforms to, which is as a result of the balance sheets they see. When a Shah Rukh Khan film does an X amount, and opens to that number on a Friday, you know that's why he gets that kind of money. But I am sure if a woman opened to that number, she would be totally achieving that. But then you would argue you don't give women a chance. And that is yes, a point of argument. Everything big scale invariably is held by a man. But everything is changing. Tomorrow is about content. Wonder Woman for example, it was in line with the boys, right up there with all male superhero films. Yes, it is going to all change.”