Karan Johar on Hrithik Roshan, Saif Ali Khan, Shahid Kapoor refusing 'Kapoor & Sons': 'They were afraid of playing a homosexual man'

Shakun Batra’s Kapoor & Sons is still the best film to come out of Dharma Productions in the last decade. A heartfelt and heartbreaking portrait of dysfunctional families, fragile relationships, hidden truths, and ultimately, a happy ending. It starred Fawad Khan as a closeted homosexual and the actor delivered a stunning and haunting performance.

In an interview with DNA, Karan Johar revealed how multiple mainstream movie stars turned the role down. “I had offered Fawad’s part to six different actors and no one did it. No matter what reasons they gave, I felt they were afraid of playing a homosexual man on screen. Having said that, they had a reason and I didn’t judge them for it,” said the filmmaker.

It’s said the role was offered to the likes of Saif Ali Khan, Hrithik Roshan, Farhan Akhtar, Shahid Kapoor and Aditya Roy Kapoor.

Karan Johar, who gave Alia Bhatt her big break with Student of the Year, is glad to watch his “little child” emerge as an actress of some calibre.

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The head honcho of Dharma Production, who has produced some of Alia’s successful films like 2 States and Humpty Sharma Ki Dulhaniya, however, expressed regret over Shaandar.

“Two years down the line, Alia has an amazing repertoire of films. I however apologise for Shaandar. Besides that, she has had some amazing films like 2 States, Humpty Sharma Ki Dulhaniya and Kapoor & Sons; Alia is Dharma Production’s proud girl and always the flagship girl of the company,” Karan said at a press conference to celebrate Kapoor & Sons’ success. This was said by Johar back in 2016.

“When I launched Alia Bhatt and Sidharth Malhotra in their first film, I never thought I would see them come through this way on celluloid. I watched Alia in Highway; I wept a little bit only because I couldn’t believe my little child has emerged as an actor,” Karan said.