I'll work with Tabu at the earliest opportunity: Johar

Mumbai, Oct 5 (IANS) Bollywood ace filmmaker Karan Johar is so impressed with Tabu's performance in Mira Nair's "The Namesake" that he is eager to work with her.

"I saw Mira Nair's brilliant film 'Namesake' in Toronto. Tabu is superb in it. I'll work with her at the earliest opportunity," Johar told IANS.

The lukewarm response to his latest release "Kabhi Alivda Naa Kehan" (KANK) at the Indian box office disappointed Johar, but its global success has worked as balm.

"May be audiences were shocked with the content, or they didn't identify with the urban marital reality. Whatever the reason, yes, it's a disappointment in India. But in the overseas market, it is my biggest film."

Now he is gearing up for the next season of his chat show "Kofee with Karan" for STAR world, likely to go live early next year.

"This time I'll combine actors with industrialists, sports personalities and other professionals rather than their colleagues from Bollywood. I want to keep it chatty, catty and conversational."

Talking about his social image he said: "I cannot put on a brooding intensity just to look like a serious filmmaker. I love the attention. To hell with the privacy. I was born to be in showbiz."

Excerpts:

With the amount of travelling you've been doing are you acquiring NRI status?

Oh God! I was in Toronto for the festival. I'm on the way to Germany for another festival. Before that I judged the Miss World contest in Poland. I come back and I go for another festival in Tokyo after Diwali where my film is in competition in the Winds of Asia section.

I feel "Kabhi Alvida Naa Kehna" has a huge international profile. I'm just making sure it reaches everywhere because it's taking not just my film but Bollywood to these far-off places.

Were you disappointed by its performance at the Indian box office?

I must confess I was. But it did more business than "Kal Ho Naa Ho" all over India. Maybe audiences were shocked with the content, or they didn't identify with the urban marital reality. Whatever the reason, yes, it was a disappointment in India. But in overseas market it is my biggest film.

You were prepared for this.

I was. But I still wanted to be proven wrong. I wanted it to cross the collections of "Kabhi Khushi Kabhie Gham". But it didn't happen. But I got such wonderful reactions from all quarters. How many films manage to provoke so much debate? Wives are angry, husbands are horrified and I'm happy.

Care to share your Toronto experiences?

They called it Beatle mania-revisited. There were banners for Shah Rukh Khan and 'Sexy Sam' (Amitabh Bachchan). To have a 2,000-member American-Canadian audience laughing and crying for KANK was quite an experience!

And I saw Mira Nair's brilliant film "Namesake" in Toronto. Tabu is superb in it. I'll work with her at the earliest opportunity.

Ok, tell me why did you say no to judging both "Jhalak Dikhla Jaa" and "Nach Baliye"?

'Jhalak...' is a Sony show. And I had contractual issues with STAR. As for 'Nach Baliye' I already had "Koffee With Karan" on STAR. To do two TV shows required more hours than I had at my disposal. I already have a large production house to look after and I have to divide my time between making movies and these extra-curricular activities.

What do you think of the two shows?

They're both great shows and I'd have loved to be a part of them.

And now "Koffee With Karan" returns.

I loved the first season. And I'm looking forward to the second season. I start shooting in November and we should be on air in December or January.

A glimpse into the guest list?

Well! They are all the people that occurred in the first season - there's no getting away from the crème de la crème. They make interesting conversation. People love listening to them. You know it. You interview them every other day. Plus there would be some new guests too.

Like Mallika Sherawat?

There will be lots of film people. But this time I'll combine them with industrialists, sports personalities and other professionals rather than their colleagues from Bollywood. I want to keep it chatty, catty and conversational.

For a long time we debated on whether we should record the interviews in front of a live audience. But I thought the lucidity of the lounge chat would be lost in the crowd. I want viewers to enjoy the voyeuristic voyage of rediscovering their favourite stars. We're even changing the look of the set completely.

Director, actor, producer, model...

I love every role. I unabashedly enjoy my multiple roles and the fact that I can make my movies, stand behind and in front of the camera. And most of all I love the fact that people come up to me and connect with me. It was a childhood dream to be known. At 14 I was fat and frumpy and I hoped I'd be someone. I had aspirations to be a journalist. I just wanted to see my byline in the papers.

Don't you think you're too gregarious at times?

I cannot put on a brooding intensity just to look like a serious filmmaker. I love the attention. To hell with the privacy. I was born to be in showbiz. I love the fact that I can host a talk show, endorse a product and make movies. I love my life.

What next?

You mean my next film? People ask me if I'm going back to feel-good cinema. But in my head I was never doing the same thing, feel-good or whatever, in my films. With KANK I didn't mean to do something path-breaking.

If you ask me, "Rang De Basanti" attempted something path-breaking. The Oscar nomination is totally deserved.

Imagine mixing Bhagat Singh with contemporary issues. Sheer genius! I've never put across a single thought on cinema as brave as "Rang De..."

I believed in KANK. Whether you like it or not is your prerogative. But I felt marriage as an institution was being misused. And I wanted to take a look at that. My job is done.

What about your loneliness of being single?

I love the fact that I'm single. I've my mother. She's my Miss World. Who needs another woman in my life? Why be married when I can be happy?

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