Award-winning editor-writer Apurva Asrani has called renowned filmmaker Karan Johar’s films Student Of The Year (2012) and Dostana (2008) “damaging.”
He shared his thoughts in response to a Twitter user who accused Johar's films of “perpetuating certain stereotypes about the LGBTQ+ community.”
“I will also blame Karan Johar's movies for perpetuating certain stereotypes about the LGBTQ+ community, particularly through the use of certain characters and comedic elements,” read the tweet.
Reacting to it, Asrani said that not only Karan, “ridicule” of gay people was a trend in Bollywood films. While he slammed some of Johar's films, Apurva said the filmmaker had also backed a “sensitive” film like Kapoor & Sons (2016).
“Not just Karan Johar, it was a trend in Bollywood to ridicule and caricature gay people. But thankfully that has ended a while ago. As damaging for (rainbow flag emoji) as Dostana and Student Of The Year were, he also made Kapoor & Sons, which was more sensitive,” the editor-writer said in his tweet on Friday.
For those not in the know, Kapoor & Sons released in 2016 and turned out to be a commercial success. The film starred Sidharth Malhotra, Alia Bhatt, and Fawad Khan in lead roles. Khan played the character of a gay author in the film. The film was praised for its sensitive portrayal of homosexuality.
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Big B defends his choice to praise Abhishek openly and others privately
Amitabh Bachchan reveals why he praises Abhishek publicly but not Jaya or Aishwarya
Quick highlights:
Amitabh Bachchan has responded to online comments asking why he often praises son Abhishek Bachchan on social media but not wife Jaya Bachchan, daughter-in-law Aishwarya Rai, or daughter Shweta. The actor explained that while he chooses to support Abhishek publicly, he honours the women in his family privately, saying he prefers to respect them “in his heart.”
Bachchan defends Abhishek praise, addresses fan remarks online
The 81-year-old actor, who regularly shares photos and thoughts with fans, recently posted images of himself meeting admirers outside his Mumbai home, Jalsa. Captioned “Yes, I praise Abhishek. So?”, the post sparked comments from users questioning why he doesn’t do the same for Jaya, Aishwarya, or Shweta.
Responding directly, Bachchan wrote, “Yes, I shall praise them in my heart… not publicly… respect for the ladies.” His reply quickly circulated across platforms, with many praising his thoughtful answer. Others pointed to his tendency to engage more often when defending Abhishek, especially around film releases.
Bachchan also shut down a user accusing him of having “paid fans,” bluntly replying, “Prove it! You are small-minded… why don’t you pay and get fans too?” When another person mocked those waiting outside his home as “unemployed,” he replied with characteristic wit: “So give them a job? When they stand at the gate of Jalsa, they are EMPLOYED in love.”
Actor remains active on social media while juggling film projects
Bachchan has become increasingly interactive online in recent years, often directly responding to criticism and fan feedback. Meanwhile, Abhishek was last seen in Housefull 5, a multi-starrer comedy that released earlier this month. Jaya Bachchan appeared in Rocky Aur Rani Kii Prem Kahaani in 2023, while Aishwarya Rai was part of Mani Ratnam’s Ponniyin Selvan films. Despite the online chatter, Amitabh continues to walk his own path, on-screen and online.