Daijiworld Media Network – Mumbai
Mumbai, May 20: Bollywood’s celebrated filmmaker Karan Johar turned nostalgic as he took the stage at the Bharat Pavilion of the prestigious Cannes Film Festival recently, recounting his emotional and cinematic journey that began on the very same shores over two decades ago.
Addressing a session at the Bharat Pavilion, Johar looked back on his first tryst with Cannes in 2002, when he accompanied his late father, producer Yash Johar, to the festival's film market. Speaking from the heart, KJo recalled how their film Kabhi Khushi Kabhie Gham was sold for a mere $5,000 for its European rights.
“I told my father, ‘$5,000? That seems too little.’ But he said, ‘It’s a start, and we have to see it through.’ Sadly, he never got to witness the global impact our cinema would eventually create,” Johar shared, visibly moved.
The ace director-producer, whose new production Homebound has earned a place in Cannes' Un Certain Regard section this year, described Cannes as a space filled with emotions, memories, and milestones.
Johar also fondly recollected the same year — 2002 — when Sanjay Leela Bhansali’s magnum opus Devdas, starring Shah Rukh Khan and Aishwarya Rai Bachchan, dazzled at the festival.
“That was a spectacular moment,” Johar said. “Aishwarya lit up the red carpet, and even today, she continues to create magic here. She’s the queen of Cannes — a true icon.”
Fast forward to 2013, KJo returned to Cannes — this time not as an observer, but as a director with his anthology film Bombay Talkies, alongside Anurag Kashyap, Zoya Akhtar, and Dibakar Banerjee. The film was showcased at the Director’s Fortnight, marking another significant moment in his journey.
It was during this Cannes stint that Johar met producer Guneet Monga, and was introduced to The Lunchbox, which he later backed for its Hindi presentation in India.
“That year was special — it reconnected me with independent cinema and introduced me to talents who were changing the game,” he remarked.
The Bharat Pavilion, organised by NFDC and FICCI under the aegis of the Ministry of Information & Broadcasting, is a hub of cinematic dialogue at Cannes, showcasing India’s creative diversity on a global platform.
As Karan Johar continues to make waves internationally, his Cannes journey stands as a testament to how small beginnings can lead to global footprints — and that sometimes, a $5,000 deal is just the start of something legendary.