Karan Johar admits feeling lonely at National Awards ceremony: There was no ‘plus one’
Filmmaker Karan Johar opens up about feeling lonely during major milestones in his career, including his recent National Award win. This was revealed during a conversation with former tennis player Sania Mirza on her podcast.
Filmmaker Karan Johar recently admitted to feeling lonely while attending the National Awards ceremony in Delhi. The director, who attended the ceremony alone, spoke about the challenges of not having any companion at such moments. These views of his came to the fore in a conversation with former tennis player Sania Mirza.
On the ‘Serving It Up With Sania’ podcast, Karan said, “You feel the loneliest during your ups, not at your lows. During your ups, you have your family, friends, parents and kids. I have two cousins with whom I am very close and I have my best friends. But when you are at your peak, what do you do?”
He said, “I remember I got a call that I was getting a National Award. I hung up the phone and for a minute I just thought, ‘What do I do tonight? Whose house do I go to? Whose hand do I hold? I needed a little pat on the back and I wanted to feel happy.’
The 53-year-old further revealed how she felt when she was asked about her plus one at the event. He shared, “When I went to the awards, they asked me who my plus one was, and I didn’t have anyone. Everyone was coming with their partners, and my mom wasn’t well enough to travel, and my kids were very young.”
He said, “It affects you a lot. I get lonely and on many nights when I am eating alone, I don’t go to my dining table. I eat in my room to reduce the loneliness. But they say never say never. When that happens, I stand with my arms outstretched like Shah Rukh Khan.”
The director also admitted that it feels like this during festive occasions like New Year’s Eve, when social expectations heighten the emotional void. She shared that seeing couples celebrate together often intensifies her feelings of loneliness. Karan also admitted that he prefers to spend such evenings with single friends or alone rather than with couples.
In a light-hearted moment, he commented on his reaction to public displays of affection by couples. The filmmaker joked that he wanted to “kill” people who behaved like this in front of him.
Karan Johar received the National Award this year for his film ‘Rocky Aur Rani Ki Prem Kahani’. The film won the award in the category Best Popular Film Providing Wholesome Entertainment. This film marked his return to direction after a break of nine years.
Talking about the future, he is now preparing for the release of his upcoming film ‘Tu Meri Main Tera Main Tera Tu Meri’. Directed by Sameer Vidwans, the film stars Kartik Aryan and Ananya Panday. It is scheduled for release on December 25.
