Karan Johar signs three-film deals with directors

After being let down by directors whom his production house Dharma Productions nurtured to directorial success, Karan Johar has now made it mandatory for all filmmakers working for his banner to sign a three-movie contract each.
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This includes Kajol's cousin Ayan Mukherjee, who has just started directing 'Wake Up, Sid' with Ranbir Kapoor and Konkona Sen Sharma for Karan's banner.

"Barring Rensil D'Silva, who comes from an established ad world and we have decided to keep him bound for only one project, all the other directors are bound by a three-film contract," Karan, whose latest home production 'Dostana' is spinning gold at the box office, told us.

"I've my own little Whistling Woods (Subhash Ghai's film school) in my production house. My endeavour is to establish an academy of directors who won't just make one movie for us and move on. I hope they'll stay with us and make more movies.

"I want to encourage new-age cinema. I'm really happy to cultivate all this talent. I've had first time directors starting with Nikhil Advani in 'Kal Ho Naa Ho' and Soham Shah in 'Kaal' to Tarun Mansukhani in 'Dostana', Ayaan Mukherjee in 'Wake Up, Sid' and we've just signed Siddharth Malhotra."

Karan, who has directed hits like 'Kuch Kuch Hota Hai' and 'Kabhi Khushi Kabhie Gham', says it is important to be professional with people at work.

"One must be professional about work. Yes, they're contractually bound to make three films with us. But there's an inherent loyalty to the banner in them. And I've complete faith that these new directors won't move on from our banner."

But didn't he feel the same way about Nikhil Advani and Soham Shah before they moved on?

"Shall we move on?" Karan said. "Why can't we enjoy the positivity. I'm very excited about Ranbir and Konkona as a pair in Ayan's film. They've an inherently unusual on-screen chemistry. And now my latest director is Siddharth Malhotra, who is developing a screenplay for us.

"Siddharth is late Premnath's grandson and Prem Kishen's son. I'm very friendly to that family. Our families go back a long way. I don't have a biological child. But all the directors who are making films for me are like my children. I give them full freedom to make films the way they want. When they go on the sets, they take their own energy there. I want directors who have their own voice," the filmmaker said.

Dino Morea's brother Santino is also working with Karan.

"He (Santino) is my assistant on 'My Name Is Khan'. And Boney Kapoor's son assisted us on 'Kal Ho Naa Ho'. And now David Dhawan's son Varun is also working with me. These industry boys are very hardworking. They've seen both the ups and downs in the entertainment industry, so they value the opportunities they get.

"If any of my children want to leave 'home', I'll tear up the contract. But the legalities are important in the current corporate climate," Karan said.

Source: IANS

I would like to work with Aamir: Shah Rukh Khan

Newsmaker Shah Rukh Khan on his movies and IPL moves.

Q. Why have you pushed the release date of 'Billoo Barber' from November to early next year?

We could have worked round the clock and released 'Billoo Barber' on November 21 but it would have been on the same day as Subhashji’s 'Yuvvraaj'.

And two weeks later, my 'Rab Ne Bana Di Jodi' would be released. So I thought we should shift 'Billoo Barber' for February 14 next year.

Q. Why February?

I won’t be in town in January. I’ll be shooting for Karan’s film abroad. I want to be around during the release of 'Billoo Barber'. Now I’ll have only one release this year, 'Rab Ne Bana Di Jodi'. 'Billoo Barber' belongs to Irrfan Khan, he’s the hero of the film but I’m there in a nice way.

Q. Once you’d said that all the three Khans should act together. What’s your take on that now?

It’s not up to me to decide. Aisa kuchh nahin hai...if it has to happen some day, it will. But I would like to work with Aamir one day. I always tell him that I’ve worked with every actor but with him. Anyway there’s time. Abhi toh hum dono jawan hain aur dono ki body bhi achhi hai.

Q. The second season of IPL is coming up soon. Are you in touch with all that’s going on in the cricketing world?

I don’t work with IPL. I work for Knight Riders, that’s the company which we have. Yes, we have been working to get the administration and the cricket team in place.

But I don’t know how to do either... it’s not in my line of work. So we have some experts looking into which player to choose and all that. Last year was an experience to see kya hota hai. It’s a difficult business but that makes it thrilling.

Q. What’s the game plan for Knight Riders?

That game plan is always done by the cricketing side. I can’t suggest which player to take and how to go about it...that’s done by experts. I do look at the administrative side because it’s my company. We’re fixing up some specialists who know cricket, branding, and merchandising.

Last year, we had only one month to work on various aspects but now we’ve had more time on our hand. We’re the only team to organise five camps. We already have one camp in Australia and three in India. Our main ideology is to offer an alternate platform of professional sports in India, inshallah.

ourav Ganguly?

It’s his decision to take a retirement from test cricket but he’s our captain. I think Dada is busy right now but from January we will start taking all the decisions. My cricket team, including Dada, will sit down and decide upon which players we should include in Knight Riders this time. We’ll make a team of 20 players and then go ahead.

Q. Don’t you ever get tired of it all?

Never...that’s why I’m a superstar!

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