On the final day of the Hindustan Times Leadership Summit 2023, Karan Johar was in conversation with South African actress Charlize Theron. They discussed a variety of things, including but not limited to filmmakers’ obsession with making their actors look all put together with perfect hair and makeup even in situations where they don’t need it. (Read also: HTLS 2023: Charlize Theron Talks Cancel Culture, Pay Parity, Bonds With Karan Johar Being A Single Parent)
Charlize Theron said she didn’t quite understand why people were putting lipstick on her when she had just fallen off a truck. Karan then talked about how Shabana Azmi (whom he called Meryl Streep’s Indian counterpart) had a similar conversation with him on the sets of their film Rocky Aur Rani Kii Prem Kahaani.
“I never want you to see any of my movies. Because even when they die, they have everything ready,” she said, making Charlize laugh. “Their hair is blow-dried, they have lipstick on, there’s no compromise.”
Talking about Shabana Azmi, Karan Johar said, “I have worked with a very prolific actress, Shabana Azmi, she is a veteran actor, won a National Award. I could compare her to Meryl Streep. So good. And he was in my recent movie and we were shooting a scene in the kitchen. She had blow dried hair, a beautifully draped saree, hair and makeup. He says, who cooks like that? I said in my film, this is how it will be.”
“And then there was a funeral procession. She says “Please, can you allow me to remove my makeup here? Someone just died.’ I was like, “Well, not much. Because the lenses are sharp and I don’t want you to look like that. He said there is no reality. I said I won’t do it.” Charlize laughed but appreciated how Karan “knew what he wanted”. Karan again lashed out as he said that he gets scared when critics like his film like it happened with Rocky Aur Rani Kii Prem Kahaani.
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