There is not a single person in the Hindi film industry whose face doesn’t light up at the mention of Yash Johar. There was much more to him than being Karan Johar’s son, although in his later years he introduced himself proudly as his son’s father.
Recalls Karan, “To my father there was no son better than me. He would launch into panegyrics about me in front of strangers and I would be so embarrassed. Whatever I am today, I owe it to my father. I am reaping the harvests of his goodwill in the film industry,”
Before he became an independent producer Yash Johar was a close associate of Dev Anand who had nothing but words of praise for Yash Johar.
“He started his journey in the film industry with me,” Dev Saab once told me. “He was loved by the entire industry. There was nothing and no one that Yash couldn’t get me. All I had to do was ask. He would do the needful. No one said no to Yash. He was the first person to reach whenever anyone in the film industry had faced a crisis.”
When Smita Patil needed urgent medical attention, it was Yash Johar who made all the calls and he was the first to reach the hospital.
“That was my father: always there for everyone in the film industry. I learnt to be kind, compassionate , loyal and generous from him. If I’ve imbibed even an iota of his qualities, I am home,” says Karan emotionally.
The iconic Waheeda Rehman recalls Yash Johar with much affection. “I got to know him through Dev (Anand). He was God’s own child. God doesn’t make human beings like him any more. Anyone, and I mean just anyone even strangers, could approach Yash for help. He would lend a helping hand. I am glad to see his son Karan has inherited some of his father’s qualities. Unke jaisa hona toh na-mumkin hai. Lekin Karan koshish toh karta hai.”
The reclusive Raakhee Gulzar remembers Yash Johar through his association with Dev Anand. “I have very fond memories of the two ‘Yash’ whom I got to know in the film industry: Yash Chopra and Yash Johar. Dono bahot bhale insaan tthe. There was not a mean bone in Yash Johar’s body. He was very very compassionate. We all went to him in times of crisis. We could be sure he would help.”
When Karan produced Kal Ho Na Ho his father was terminally ill. Kareena Kapoor, Karan’s close friend and soul sister was offered the female lead. Karan was sure she would not hesitate in saying yes. However, he got the shock of his life when she refused to do Kal Ho Na Ho at the fee that was being offered to her. What made Kareena’s snub even worse was that it happened during the time when Karan’s father was dying. To demand more money from your moohbola bhai when he was going losing a parent was unacceptable and unforgivable. Karan stopped speaking to Kareena.
His father was Karan’s strength and weakness.
The one advice from his wise benevolent father which Karan carries in his heart. “Give and give generously. But do not expect anything in return.”
Karan Johar’s father Yash Johar was a leading producer in the 1970s and 80s. However in the 1980 he lost a lot of money producing big-budget disasters such as Mahesh Bhatt’s Gumrah (starring Sridevi and Sanjay Dutt) and Duplicate (featuring Shah Rukh Khan).
But Yash Johar’s biggest setback and the one that wiped him out financially was Muqaddar Ka Faisla featuring a sprawling starcast of Raj Kumar, Raj Babbar, Rakhee Gulzar, Meenakshi Sheshadri and Tina Munim. Released in 1987, it was a massive debacle.
Making things worse for Yash Johar was his own son Karan.
“Even I refused to see Muqaddar Ka Faisla! Mr India was released during the same week.I made it very clear that under no circumstance was I going to miss Mr India to see Muqaddar Ka Faisla. My father was disappointed . I could see it on his face. But at 16, you are only interested in doing what you want to do. Even the next day after I picked Mr India over my father’s film, I went to see B Subhash’s Dance Dance,” recalls Karan.
Muqaddar Ka Faisla wiped out the finances of Dharma Production.
In 1998 Karan Johar revived his father’s production house.
“When Kuch Kuch Hota Hai became such a hit I was so happy to see that smile back on my father’s face. It was the proudest moment of my life,” recalls Karan emotionally.
