Karan Johar says he ‘wanted to murder’ Anushka Sharma’s career in old video; Vivek Agnihotri and Apurva Asrani react

An old video of Karan Johar talking about not liking the pictures of Anushka Sharma before the casting of Rab Ne Bana Di Jodi has gone viral on the internet.

By: Entertainment Desk

New Delhi | April 6, 2023 02:59 PM IST

4 min read

Karan Johar and Anushka Sharma from the sets of Ae Dil Hai Mushkil. (Photo: DharmaMovies/Twitter)

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An old video of Karan Johar talking about his attempt to ‘sabotage’ Anushka Sharma’s career has been going viral on the internet. In the video, he is heard saying how he ‘wanted to murder’ her career before her Bollywood debut Rab Ne Bana Di Jodi. He also apologises to the actor, saying that after he saw her work, she stood corrected. Filmmaker Vivek Agnihotri and Apurva Asrani have reacted to the video and once again highlighted the much-discussed ‘insider-outsider’ debate.

The viral video is from the 18th MAMI Mumbai Film Festival in 2016, which Karan attended with Anushka and Aishwarya Rai Bachchan for the promotion of his film Ae Dil Hai Mushkil. Speaking to Rajeev Masand and Anupama Chopra, KJo had shared, “I completely wanted to murder Anushka Sharma’s career because when Aditya Chopra showed me her picture, I was like ‘no no, you no need to sign Anushka Sharma. There was another lead actor whom I wanted Adi to sign.”

Earlier, Sonam Kapoor had revealed that she was shortlisted for the role of Taani in Rab Ne Bana Di Jodi. But Aditya Chopra told her that she was second on his list after a ‘new girl’. He told her, “We have one new girl and then we have you, if this new girl‘s audition is very good, then we will take her because we want a new girl, otherwise we will take you.” However, Anushka nailed the audition and grabbed her debut role opposite Shah Rukh Khan in the movie.

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https://twitter.com/Apurvasrani/status/1643816072439808002
Karan Johar, in the viral video, added, “I was completely behind the scene sabotaging her career. I was also watching the movie reluctantly when Rab Ne Bana Di Jodi releases, but when I saw Band Baaja Baraat, I felt like I owed her an apology and a compliment, an apology because I felt so embarrassed that I would have ruined the graph of an exceptional talent.”

Also read | Priyanka Chopra says she moved to the US because had ‘beef’ with people in Bollywood: ‘Was being pushed into a corner, was tired of the politics’

Reacting to the video, Apurva Asrani wrote on Twitter, “‘I totally wanted to murder Anushka Sharma’s career’ – Karan Johar confesses to Rajeev Masand & Anupama Chopra in 2016. Said in jest, I’m sure, but still a worthy point in the raging insider-outsider debate.” Asrani also reposted the viral video.

Filmmaker Vivek Agnihotri also reacted to the video in a similar tone. He tweeted, “Someone’s only hobby is to make or break careers. If Bollywood is in gutter, it’s because of some people’s dirty ‘backroom’ politics against talented outsiders.”

This video comes a week after Priyanka Chopra opened up about being ‘cornered’ by Bollywood. Then, Kangana Ranaut accused Karan of ‘sabotaging’ PeeCee’s career because of her friendship with Shah Rukh Khan.

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