20 May 2025 : Filmmaker Karan Johar is back at the Cannes Film Festival after 12 years. This time, he is set to represent his latest production, Homebound, directed by Neeraj Ghaywan. It will premiere in the Un Certain Regard category on May 21. Speaking at an event, the filmmaker recalled an interesting anecdote about when he first came to the French city with Kabhi Khushi Kabhie Gham.
It was a nostalgic moment at the Bharat Pavilion as K3G filmmaker took to the stage alongside director Neeraj, reflecting on his early Cannes memories and his late father Yash Johar’s vision.
When Yash Johar sold K3G for $5000
“I have a lot of emotional memories of Cannes. I remember it was 2002 when I came here with my father. He struck a deal here and we sold the European rights of Kabhi Khushi Kabhie Gham for five thousand dollars,” said Karan. “I thought it was very less and I asked my father about it. He told me, ‘Look, we have to make a start somewhere.’ He wasn’t there to see the cultural movement we created with Bollywood films,” he added.
The Rocky Aur Rani Ki Prem Kahani maker also reminisced about attending the screening of Devdas that same year. “Aishwarya and Shah Rukh were on the red carpet. Aishwarya is literally like the queen of Cannes. Every time we are here, Ash creates a huge amount of media energy and excitement,” Karan said.
Karan on his association with Cannes
Karan returned to the festival with Bombay Talkies in 2013, alongside Anurag Kashyap and Zoya Akhtar. That year, he saw The Lunchbox and was so impressed that he decided to present the film starring Irrfan Khan and Nimrat Kaur in India.
Summary: Karan Johar recalls his father selling Kabhi Khushi Kabhie Gham European rights for $5,000 at Cannes, a modest start that led to the film’s European success.