Karan Johar is trying to stop his children from joining Bollywood: ‘I’ll be too old to protect them’

Highlights

• Karan Johar says he is trying to discourage his twins, Yash and Roohi, from entering the film industry.
• The filmmaker worries he may be too old to protect them from the pressures of Bollywood when they are ready to start their careers.
• Kareena Kapoor offers a different perspective, suggesting that parents can sometimes be overprotective of their children.

Filmmaker Karan Johar has opened up about his concerns over his children following in his professional footsteps, revealing that he is almost trying to dissuade them from joining Bollywood.

The filmmaker discussed parenting and the challenges of raising children in the film industry during an episode of Koffee With Karan featuring actors Saif Ali Khan and Kareena Kapoor.

Although Karan has spent much of his life in the entertainment business, he is aware of the pressures that come with working in Bollywood. He admitted that the thought of his children entering the industry worries him, particularly because he may not be able to protect them when they are older.

Karan Johar fears he may not be able to protect his children

Speaking about the possibility of his children joining the film industry, Karan said he was already trying to steer them away from that career path.

“It's not an easy place. It's tough. I am almost dissuading my children from the business. And everybody says, ‘Why are you doing that? Why are you doing that?’” he said.

Explaining his concerns, the filmmaker added, “I am like, look, I will be too old to protect them at that time.”

His comments reflect his awareness of the challenges that come with growing up and building a career in the public eye. While he has established himself as one of Hindi cinema's prominent filmmakers and producers, he appears uncertain about whether he wants his children to experience the same professional environment.

Kareena Kapoor questions parental overprotection

Kareena Kapoor offered a different perspective during the conversation, suggesting that parents' instinct to protect their children could sometimes hold them back.

“But I feel maybe the protection is also what is causing the issue. I think sometimes we just have to, like, probably just... you know, we're all so protective towards our children,” she said.

The actor also reflected on how previous generations allowed their children more freedom to make their own choices and face the consequences.

“I feel sometimes our parents just let us go and say, ‘Karni hai toh karo, you know, karo. You have to go and 'ragdo,’” Kareena added.

Karan agreed with her observation before the discussion moved on. Their exchange highlighted two different approaches to parenting: protecting children from potential difficulties and allowing them to learn through their own experiences.

Karan Johar is father to twins Yash and Roohi

Karan is the father of twins, Yash and Roohi, whom he welcomed through surrogacy in February 2017.

The filmmaker named his son after his late father, veteran producer Yash Johar. His daughter Roohi's name is an anagram of his mother Hiroo Johar's name.

Karan comes from a film family and has carried forward his father's legacy through Dharma Productions, one of Hindi cinema's leading production houses.

Despite his deep connection to the industry, his latest comments suggest that he is cautious about his children's potential future in the business. However, he has not said that he would stop them from pursuing acting or filmmaking if they eventually decide to do so.