Filmmaker Karan Johar has never shied away from introspection, and in a recent candid conversation with Soul Safar with Bhaav he opened up about his evolving relationship with success, failure, solitude, and the deceptive comfort of materialism. The industry veteran, known for his glamorous lifestyle, spoke about finding genuine joy not in accolades or luxury, but in life’s quieter, more personal moments.
Karan Johar reflects on solitude, success and the illusion of retail therapy; says, “I was replacing emotions with things”
“Success also — why are you living with that success every day? What are you celebrating? It’s happened. Meet success with relief, failure with contemplation. But deal with both in the same way and move on — that’s my life philosophy. That’s the way I deal with life,” Karan said, highlighting his balanced perspective on professional highs and lows.
But beyond that, the father of twins, Yash and Roohi, revealed that true happiness for him lies in simplicity. “My joy comes from hugs from my kids. That’s the moment of joy I truly value,” he shared.
Despite his achievements, Johar admitted he’s still on the path to contentment. “Am I a completely content person today? No. Am I a very happy person? No. I don’t know what that sense of continuous joy or happiness really is. Because when you talk about khushi, both joy and sorrow come in the same day.”
He reflected on life’s unpredictability, adding, “One moment you’ll get some great message of joy, and then the very next — maybe even the next hour — you’ll receive some news, some trouble, or some stress… You’re too happy, you’re almost anticipating.”
This awareness has led him to embrace solitude more consciously. “I’ve realized that my solitude is giving me so much joy. Me checking into a hotel in a city that’s not my home, even ordering room service in an empty room and watching random television — that’s joy for me.”
Johar also addressed how he once mistook retail indulgence for emotional healing. “At one point, for a long time, I felt like retail was therapy for me. I was buying things all the time. I was going mad,” he confessed. “I was actually trying to replace my inherent sadness or my inherent loneliness, and I was filling it with things I didn’t need. That’s what they say, actually — retail therapy is about trying to fill the void. Until I realized, Bhav, that it’s a proper disease.”
He made a conscious shift just months ago. “I told myself, that’s it. I’m not buying what I don’t want, and I’m not indulging in this craziness anymore… That is not going to happen. You’re just constantly buying things because you’re trying to replace something — an empty void. And you have to find the reason why that void exists and how you can fill it. But it cannot be with an online purchase. You just cannot.”
Karan Johar’s honest reflections are a reminder that joy, peace, and healing often require looking inward — not outward — and certainly not at a shopping cart.
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