By Subhash K Jha

Mumbai, May 27 (IANS) Karan Johar has matured. And how? In his forthcoming production venture "I Hate Luv Storys", he actually takes potshots at the mushy kind of cinema that he and his filmmaker friends like Aditya Chopra and Kunal Kohli made.

"I Hate Luv Storys" is Karan's first film on the film industry. There are pointed and precocious references to "Kuch Kuch Hota Hai", "Dilwale Dulhania Le Jayenge" and other films of the romantic genre that created box office history a decade ago.

"But that's okay. A new generation of directors like Punit Malhotra, who directs 'I Hate Luv Storys' have come in. They've their own take on love. And somewhere what I did in 'Kuch Kuch Hota Hai' may seem outdated now," Karan, who doesn't mind it, told IANS.

In the film, lead actor Imran Khan keeps making digs at Karan and his kind of cinema.

"In 'I Hate Luv Storys' Imran Khan plays a diehard cynic, one of those upper-class Mumbai dudes who looks down on Bollywood. And he keeps making barbed comments on mushy movies," said Karan.

Significantly "I Hate Luv Storys", which stars Sonam Kapoor in the female lead, comes after Karan shifted from romance to serious themes with "My Name Is Khan".

In fact, "I Hate Luv Storys" emphasises the fact that Karan has outgrown mush.

"Of course, I've outgrown mush. And if I've to make 'Kuch Kuch Hota Hai' today, I'd do it in a completely different way. Yeah, I've outgrown mush, but I've not outgrown love," he said.