Karan Johar Picks Ranbir Kapoor’s ‘Ae Dil Hai Mushkil’ and Shah Rukh Khan’s ‘Kabhi Alvida Naa Kehna’ Looks as His Favorites From His Films (EXCLUSIVE)

Karan Johar’s relationship with fashion has evolved over the years, moving from monochromatic looks to sequinned maximalism and more recently, an interest in stealth wealth. But beyond the changing trends, the filmmaker’s most cherished accessories carry personal stories, including a Titan watch gifted to him by his late father, Yash Johar.

Recalling the first watch he owned, Karan tells Variety India, “The very first watch that I owned was gifted to me by my father (Yash Johar). It was a Titan watch. It’s a watch that he used to wear, right up to the day he passed away.”

The filmmaker continues to preserve the watch in a box containing some of his father’s most treasured possessions. “He was a very pragmatic and practical man. At that time, the watch was his only indulgence. Today, I am thinking of the first time he gave me that watch,” he says. While the watch holds sentimental value, Karan admits that punctuality is another defining part of his relationship with time. Asked whether he is usually early or late, he says, “I am hyper punctual. I am punctual to a fault.”

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When it comes to watches, however, Karan has another name at the top of his list. Asked who among his friends has the best collection, he names, “Shah Rukh Khan.” Fashion, meanwhile, is an area where Karan has strong opinions of his own. His advice is simple: dress for yourself. “As cliched and as off-repeated as it may sound, but please dress for yourself and not for the world. Seeking validation for your wardrobe is not something I endorse,” he firmly states.

The filmmaker also has a clear preference when it comes to the wardrobes of characters from his own films. “I love the way Ayan Sanger (played by Ranbir Kapoor) dressed in “Ae Dil Hai Mushkil.” I love the way Dev Saran (played by Shah Rukh Khan) dressed in “Kabhi Alvida Na Kehna,” he adds.

His appreciation for accessories extends beyond watches. One of his most cherished possessions is his mother Hiroo Johar’s jewellery, which he has recently been incorporating into his own wardrobe. “My mom's (Hiroo Johar) jewellery. Recently, I have been wearing a lot of my mom's jewellery. She has a solitaire necklace. The Sindhi roots in me enjoy wearing that. I really cherish it,” he says.

There is, however, a playful catch to this newfound addition to his collection. “She doesn't know I have semi-stolen it from her. It has now made it into my wardrobe and my safe. She doesn't know it. I will get caught by my ears even now if she finds out that there has been a theft in the house and it's me,” he jokingly adds.

Karan is equally candid about his take on red-carpet fashion. Asked for a controversial opinion that might get him into trouble with the fashion police, he says, “Most people on the red carpet look exactly like the red carpet.”