Karan Johar remembers father Yash Johar on his birth anniversary: “When you lose a parent, you gain a god”
Filmmaker Karan Johar remembered his late father and Dharma Productions founder Yash Johar on his birthday with a deeply personal note. Reflecting on their relationship, Karan recalled his father’s sense of humour, unconditional support and the values he passed on to him.
Karan began his note with an anecdote from the time Kuch Kuch Hota Hai was released. He recalled deciding to buy his first designer jacket to celebrate the film’s success. After walking into a Burberry store and purchasing the only jacket that fit him at the time, Karan proudly showed it to his father.
“My father looked at me perplexed and asked, “Beta…yeh kya hai…?””
Karan recalled proudly responding, “Papa yeh Burberry hai!”
His father then responded with a Punjabi wordplay that Karan still remembers. “He took a deep Punjabi breath and said “Beta yeh Burberry nahi…Bahut buri hai…””
While the comment initially left Karan “shattered”, he soon burst out laughing. Looking back, he described his father as “rooted, basic and very very funny”.
Yash Johar was Karan’s biggest fan
Karan also remembered how his father remained one of his biggest supporters, even when he was struggling with his appearance and self-confidence. He wrote, “He was also my biggest fan. Even when I looked like I had eaten an entire country and was trying for over an hour to zip myself into very stretched pants, he would say “puppy fat hai…chala jayega…””
Yash Johar also encouraged Karan to consider becoming an actor, even suggesting that he take up horse riding. “And then on many occasions he would say, “Tu itna handsome hai – hero ban ja! Horse riding kyun nahi seekhta?!””
Karan joked about the idea, asking, “Can you imagine me horse riding on Juhu beach???”
He recalled that his mother would offer a more practical perspective after his father’s encouragement. “My mother always took me aside after papa’s hyper raja beta delusions and bought me back to earth by saying and I quote, “Son you cannot be infront of the camera and certainly not on a horse””
Karan recalls Yash Johar’s final advice
While Karan’s post included several light-hearted memories, he also opened up about the values his father left behind. Describing Yash Johar as his hero, Karan highlighted his kindness, humility and selflessness.
“But my father was my hero. His values, his kindness, his unmatched humility and his ability to be so selfless that it almost seemed inhuman.”
Karan then recalled one of his father’s final conversations with him after a chemotherapy session. Yash Johar asked his son to promise that he would continue to be kind and take care of his mother.
“In his last days he told me post his chemo session, “I don’t want to leave mom and you but I feel like I am going to…Just promise me you will always be kind…success means nothing if you’re not kind. And take care of mom, like i have.””
Karan also described being beside his father while he was on a ventilator. He said he whispered a promise that he would take care of his mother.
“When he was on the ventilator and I knew there wasn’t a ray of hope – I knew something was stopping him from travelling to the other side, I whispered in his ear, “Papa I will take care of mom like a parent and a child…I promise””
According to Karan, his father’s levels began to drop soon after, and he passed away. “He was waiting to hear just that…” Reflecting on the loss decades later, Karan said he has chosen not to fill the void left by his father. “He left a void in my life 22 years ago that I refuse to fill…and I never will…”
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Karan concluded his tribute by describing the spiritual connection he continues to feel with his father: “When you lose a parent, you gain a god. He is my god. I pray to him everyday. What a blessing that is for me…. Miss you papa…everyday 
”
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