Daijiworld Media Network- Mumbai

Mumbai, Feb 20: Filmmaker Karan Johar recently reflected on his experience launching Sidharth Malhotra, Alia Bhatt, and Varun Dhawan in Student of the Year (SOTY), emphasizing that he always saw them as stars rather than newcomers.

Speaking on Game Changers with Komal Nahta, Karan shared insights into his deep bond with the trio and how he recognized their potential early on. He revealed that before filming began, he instructed his team to treat the three debutants like megastars, believing that such an approach would help them deliver confident performances.

"For me, I never saw them as newcomers. I told my team—Sidharth and Varun were my assistants, and I met Alia when she was still in school. When I launched them, I made it clear to the choreographers, designers, and production team to treat them like superstars. If you make them feel like stars, they will perform like stars. If you treat them like newcomers, they will act like newcomers," Karan said.

He also spoke about the camaraderie he shares with them, stating, "They all call me ‘Karna.’ They are more like friends to me. Before we started filming, we did a 12-day workshop together, just the four of us, to build that connection."

Released in 2012, Student of the Year was a teen sports drama that marked the Bollywood debut of Alia Bhatt, Varun Dhawan, and Sidharth Malhotra. The film was a major box office success, crossing Rs 100 crore and launching the three actors into stardom.