Karan Johar and Anurag Kashyap have collaborated for 3 times but that has turned them into best friends. Both may come from different worlds of cinema, they have a lot in common as human beings. They first came together in directing short films for Bombay Talkies, then co-produced The Lunchbox and now are co-producing their upcoming romantic comedy, Hasee Toh Phasee. As Karan said, "The film has a bit of both. It's quirky, so it has Anurag Kashyap and it has a song like Zehnaseeb, so it has me." Vinil Mathew, the director of the film, told that to his surprise, even though Karan and Anurag watched the film separately, they cried and laughed at the same places. For the first time, Bombay Times brings both the filmmakers to talk about each other. Before starting the interview, Karan said, "See, he has come wearing a jacket today as he knows that Karan Johar jacket pehenke aayega."

Says Karan, `Anurag wrote a blog saying nasty things about me, post which we had a verbal spat in Mumbai Mirror. I wondered why he was being nasty when he didn't even know me. I had seen his Black Friday and absolutely loved it. But I saw him venting to death about me thinking I am this rich, glamorous, glorious person without any struggle and I frankly hadn't struggled even though I'd pretend to. Once in an interview, I actually said I grew up in a really small two-bedroom flat in Malabar Hill and used to travel to Goregaon in a taxi. Farah Khan called me and said, 'Is this your idea of struggle?' I came from simple parenting, but my parents always made me believe that I was Mukesh Ambani's son. Even though my father had made a series of unsuccessful films and didn't have the money, I still had the habits. They may not have gone on holidays, but they sent me. But I still could not match up to Anurag Kashyap's angst story na? High level of decadence because of high level of depression. I didn't have those problems, so what to do? To me, Anurag represented the Ram Gopal Varma school of filmmaking.


Carrying on with the interview, Karan further says `I am dying to be that intense director, who is above media and the trappings of the industry. Imtiaz Ali and Anurag Kashyap look like directors. I have become a mockery of myself, dancing in a reality show, judging, hosting. Barring reaching the opening of an envelope, I have reached everywhere else. And I am unapologetically this. My perception by the director community is very flawed. Raju Hirani looks distant, quiet, intelligent, Anurag looks like a mad genius, Imtiaz looks like he is sorted with a sufiist vibe. I look like a third row dancer.