Karan Johar And Charlize Theron Meet Up: Find Out Why She Calls Him Her Favorite Person And Why He Asks Her Not To Watch His Films

Filmmaker Karan Johar, who is currently getting a lot of love for the eighth season of his popular talk show Koffee With Karan, had a candid conversation with Hollywood star Charlize Theron at the Hindustan Times Leadership Summit 2023. The duo discussed a range of topics, from their journeys in the entertainment industry, to their views on cancel culture, to their experiences as single parents.

Charlize Theron on watching Bollywood films while growing up

Theron, who has won an Academy Award for her performance in Monster, revealed that she grew up watching Bollywood movies in South Africa, where she was born and raised. She said that she was fascinated by the culture, the people and the country of India, and that she always wanted to visit it. She also expressed her love for musicals and dancing, which she said were inspired by the Indian films.

“And because there’s such a big population of Indians out in South Africa, I got to watch more Bollywood movies than I did American movies. When I was around 10, we got this kind of a streamer on our television and the predominant movies that were on it were Bollywood movies. And every Sunday, they would put a new movie on and that was what we did. Every Sunday we sat and we watched a Bollywood movie,” Theron said, adding that the Indian films made her fall in “love with dancing”.

“Musicals were my favourite to watch,” she added.

Karan Johar asks Charlize Theron not to watch his films, opens up about debate with ‘Indian Meryl Streep’ Shabana Azmi on makeup

Karan Johar, who is known for his blockbuster movies such as Kuch Kuch Hota Hai, Kabhi Khushi Kabhie Gham and Ae Dil Hai Mushkil, shared his own story of how he became a filmmaker after his mother asked him if he knew where to place the camera on the first day of his debut film. He also talked about how he faced challenges and criticism in the industry, and how he overcame them with his passion and creativity.

While discussing filmmakers’ fixation on maintaining their actors’ flawless appearance, even in situations where it seems unnecessary, Charlize Theron jokingly expressed her bewilderment over being given lipstick after having just fallen off a truck.

“I never want you to see any of my movies. Because even when they are dying, they have everything ready,” Karan replied to Charlize, causing her to burst into laughter. “Their hair is blow-dried, they have lipstick on, there is no compromise,” he added.

“I worked with a very prolific actor, Shabana Azmi… she is a veteran actor… I could equate her to Meryl Streep. That good. And she was in my recent film and we were filming a scene in the kitchen. She had blow-dried hair, a beautifully draped saree, hair and makeup done. She says, who cooks looking like this? I said in my film, that’s how it’s gonna be,” he recalled.

(Also read: Rocky Aur Rani Kii Prem Kahaani Is Now The OTT Blockbuster After Super Hit Indian And Blockbuster Overseas Theatrical Business, Winning Hearts All Over)

Charlize and Karan bond over being single parents

The two also bonded over being single parents to their adopted children. Theron has two daughters, Jackson and August, while Johar has twins, Yash and Roohi, born through surrogacy. They both agreed that raising children was the most rewarding and challenging thing they have ever done, and that they try to give them the best possible life. They also shared how they tell their kids that they were born from their hearts, not from their bellies.

Karan shared an endearing moment, revealing that his daughter Roohi often asks him about her birth. To this, he lovingly responds that she was born from ‘Dadda’s heart.’ Charlize said that she does the same with her daughter, feeling a special bond with Karan because of their similar experiences as single parents. She also called Karan her favourite person for their shared connection.

They spoke on cancel culture

Theron also spoke about her views on cancel culture, which she said she was not a fan of. She said that she believes that people should be allowed to make mistakes and learn from them, and that there should be room for forgiveness and growth. She said that she worries about her daughters growing up in a world where everything they do is permanent and cannot be erased.

The conversation was filled with humour, warmth and wisdom, as the two icons from different worlds connected on a human level. They also expressed their admiration and respect for each other’s work, and hoped to collaborate in the future. Theron said that she would love to do a Bollywood movie with Johar, while Johar said that he would love to cast her in one of his films.

(Also read: Karan Johar Slams Trolls For Bashing Deepika Padukone And Ranveer Singh For Their Statements On Koffee With Karan 8)

Check out their pictures from the event: