From 1998 to 2023, Karan Johar has entertained audiences worldwide with numerous directorial successes, including Kuch Kuch Hota Hai, Kabhi Khushi Kabhie Gham, Kabhi Alvida Na Kehna, My Name Is Khan, Student of the Year, Ae Dil Hai Mushkil and most recently, Rocky Aur Rani Ki Prem Kahani. With an impeccable track record as a director, the anticipation for his next film continues to grow. Now, looking towards 2026, Karan Johar is all set to return to the director’s chair. Yes, you read that right! Sources have confirmed to Pinkvilla that he has locked his 8th directorial film, which is a grand scale family drama, which will be in the same vein as his 2001 cult classic, Kabhi Khushi Kabhie Gham.
“After making headlines with a romantic family comedy in the form of Rocky and Rani’s love story, Karan is returning to the family drama arena with his next film. Buzz is that it will be his largest-scale film till date, and Karan is welcoming the new year by locking the script of his next film,” a source tells us in confidence.
The source said that Karan is planning to take the film on floors by the end of 2026 and the pre-production work will begin by mid-2026. The source further told us, “Of course, it is a high-octane family drama, with a strong romantic and emotional core. The film will be led by two male leads and two female leads, and the casting process is expected to begin soon. This will be a big ticket mark from Dharma Productions set for the dramatic medium.”
The fact that Karan Johar is making a family drama next will definitely create waves in the industry and the casting is definitely going to be exciting. A little birdie also tells us that Karan’s next film may be titled Kabhi Khushi Kabhie Gham 2 (K3G2), although it is too early to speak about the title at the moment. "However, it definitely ranks up there with the 2001 blockbuster starring Shah Rukh Khan, Kajol, Hrithik Roshan, Kareena Kapoor, Amitabh Bachchan and Jaya Bachchan in the lead."
Karan Johar remained unavailable for comment. Keep an eye on this space, as we’ll have more updates on the film soon!
Also read: Exclusive: Akshay Kumar and Rani Mukerji pair up for Oh My God 3; The film will go on floors in mid-2026