Karan Johar

Kuch Kuch Hota Hai (1998), his first film as director, won Karan Johar the National Film Award for Best Popular Film Providing Wholesome Entertainment and the Filmfare awards for Best Director and Best Screenplay. He had first appeared on screen years earlier, as a child actor in the 1989 Doordarshan serial Indradhanush. Born in Bombay on 25 May 1972, he is the son of producer Yash Johar, who founded Dharma Productions. Karan now leads the company and has launched the careers of several actors and directors through it. He has hosted Koffee with Karan since 2004. Kabhi Khushi Kabhie Gham (2001) and Kabhi Alvida Naa Kehna (2006) came after, and My Name Is Khan (2010) brought a second Filmfare Best Director award. Among his productions, Raazi and Shershaah won the Filmfare Award for Best Film, and Brahmāstra: Part One – Shiva won the first National Film Award for Best Film in AVGC. He returned to directing with Rocky Aur Rani Kii Prem Kahaani (2023), and produced Homebound (2025), India's entry for the Best International Feature Film at the 98th Academy Awards. His tally stands at four National Film Awards and eight Filmfare Awards, and he received the Padma Shri in 2020. His work is mostly in Hindi cinema, though he is a producer on the upcoming Malayalam film Odiyan: The Age of Illusion.