Karan Johar, master of mushy romances and one of the most successful directors in Bollywood, says he is now trying to gather the courage to make films in other genres as well.

Karan, 33, already has more than a half dozen hits to his credit and is set to release his next, Kabhi Alvida Na Kehna, about marriage and other relationships.

"I make films I believe in. Today my strength is emotional drama. I know I lack courage to do a variety of films but I am getting better," Karan said in an interview.

"I am dealing with topics that I might have not thought of earlier." He started in the movie industry when he was 23, producing major hits that starred the biggest names in the industry, including Amitabh Bachchan and Shah Rukh Khan.

"I don't run down people who make so-called 'intellectual' films'... but I also know that I am not capable of making these kinds of films. So I choose not to even attempt them," he said.

"If that makes me limited, then maybe I am ... I've never claimed to be an all-round filmmaker." All of his films have featured Shah Rukh Khan. The two are close friends as well, and Karan said he couldn't imagine doing a film without SRK. "I would never want to go on a film set, where he's not there. Right now, I can't think about it and I hope I don't have to. He's a part of me and he gives me a lot of strength, emotionally and professionally."