Karan Johar Says Audience Won't Allow Shah Rukh Khan To Do Experimental Roles: 'He Never Wanted To Be...'

Karan Johar believes the audience is not willing to watch Shah Rukh Khan in an avatar that’s not romantically inclined. Citing examples such as Paheli and Asoka, in which he played different characters, despite the romance touch in them, Karan pointed out that the films did not work commercially. He added that Shah Rukh never wanted to be a mainstream actor but after Dilwale Dulhania Le Jayenge, the audience’s expectations from him has changed.

“It’s not that Shah Rukh didn’t try. He did Paheli, Asoka. Shah Rukh comes from the mindset to do different things and to make a difference. When he started he worked with Kundan Shah, Ketan Mehta, Mani Kaul. He never wanted to be the mainstream guy but then Dilwale Dulhania Le Jayenge wanted to be that quirky, mainstream star who would change the cinema. Now no one will allow it. When say Shah Rukh Khan now, the names comes with an expectation. He might play a mellow character in the future, I hope he does, but there is an expectation that comes with him and it won’t allow a certain kind of film to be made and it is sad because he is an actor first and a star after that. He began in theatre,” Karan Johar told The Hollywood Reporter India.

The filmmaker praised Aamir Khan and dubbed him as a ‘changemaker’ of Bollywood. With films like Lagaan, Taare Zameen Par, Rang De Basanti and Dil Chahta Hai, Karan said that Aamir changed the ‘texture’ of Bollywood.

“I think Aamir would do. Lagaan is one of those films that will go down in Hindi cinema’s history. In that same year there was Gadar, Kabhi Khushi Kabhie Gham and Dil Chahta Hai, so that year was very iconic for Hindi cinema. There was Chandni Bar as well. But the business was Gadar. It was mainstream film and it did maximum business that year. Lagaan won a nomination at the Academy Award, so Aamir still did films like Taare Zameen Par, Rang De Basanti and Dil Chahta Hai. He changed the texture. He also did Ghajini, which actually brought back the culture of remake in Hindi cinema. I think he is real game changer,” he said.