"I am a great believer in cinema. I love films. I love the magic of the movies. And I think when you love the movies, you create the movies," Karan told in an exclusive interview.
This is true of everyone who is involved with his production house Dharma Productions, said Karan.
"I think the reason why we do what we do is because all of us in the company are very passionate about cinema. It's not a day job for me; it's a passion job for me. So, when you have both passion and profession walking hand in hand, you can't really go wrong," he said.
Karan's passion was evident in his films "Kuch Kuch Hota Hai", "Kabhi Khushi Kabhie Gham", "Kal Ho Naa Ho", "My Name Is Khan" and "Agneepath". Known for making glamorous and designer family dramas, he feels his films are able to find a perfect match between intelligence and commercial elements.
"It really depends upon the ethos of a filmmaker and what he or she wants to communicate. We produce what we believe in, but it could be of any type and be a part of any genre," he said.
"While we produce a 'Student Of The Year', we have also produced a 'My Name Is Khan', which had its own impact and relevance or a 'Kurbaan', which has some kind of social relevance as part of its plot. So while there is entertainment, there is also relevance and we balance it within the company," he said.
The latest yardstick to measure a film's success in B-town is whether or not it is part of the Rs.100-Rs.200 crore club, but Karan believes a film's success should be measured on the basis of its longevity.
"I think if a film doesn't last in longevity and in people's memories, it is not a film of importance or relevance. Box office numbers are eventually your report card in the business. But I think what's really important is that you must make a film, which is remembered. So, to leave the film behind in the minds of a cinegoer should be every filmmaker's objective," he said.
He is quite chilled out about the latest fad of remakes.
"I am ok with remakes. If you can give your own edge and slant, then why not? I think there is a dearth of writers, but I don't think that's why people make remakes....it's also your sense of creativity and what you want to do with it. Remaking it in exactly the same way is no fun. Revisiting it in a certain way and adjusting it to the modern times always makes it interesting," he said.
Discussing his own experience with "Agneepath", he said it was more of a tribute to his father Yash Johar.
"I wanted to pay a tribute to a film which my father had produced and Mukul (Mukul S. Anand) had directed fantastically. I wanted to make sure that we make it in a different way, which I believe in," he said.