Karan Johar Slams Bollywood’s Herd Mentality, Calls for Original Storytelling
In a candid interview with Bollywood Hungama, filmmaker Karan Johar addressed what he sees as the biggest challenge facing the Hindi film industry today—Bollywood’s herd mentality. Johar criticized the growing trend where producers and creators rush to replicate what has previously worked, rather than investing in fresh, original content.
Karan highlighted how successful films like Pushpa, Chhaava, and Stree triggered waves of imitation across the industry. “Everyone’s trying to do what others are doing,” he said. “You see Pushpa doing well in tier-2 and tier-3 markets, and suddenly 20 filmmakers want to chase that same formula. Stree worked because it was unique. Horror comedies became a trend after that, but few matched the originality.” According to Johar, this copycat culture is leading to creative stagnation in Bollywood.
Johar emphasized that originality and innovation in Bollywood are essential to sustain audience interest. “We need ideas that are individually strong and genre-defining—not repetitive clones of past successes,” he explained. KJo’s remarks come at a time when the film industry is under growing pressure to deliver both commercially and creatively, especially in a post-pandemic entertainment landscape.
