When Karan Johar thought Shah Rukh Khan could never become a big actor

Before becoming one of Bollywood’s most iconic actor-director duos, Karan Johar and Shah Rukh Khan had a surprising first encounter—one that Karan never imagined would lead to a decades-long partnership.

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A Role Karan Was Embarrassed About

Karan Johar recently opened up about his first-ever acting stint on the Doordarshan sci-fi series Indradhanush. He recalled feeling “embarrassed” about it later. At just 15 years old, Karan was approached by director Anand Mahendru, who asked his mother if she had a “very fat son.”

“I was very large—what we’d call plus-size today,” Karan said. Although his mother called it “puppy fat,” he ended up auditioning for the role during his summer holidays after his 10th standard exams.

A Strange Encounter in the Waiting Room

While waiting at Mahendru’s office for his audition, Karan noticed a young man next to him doing a crossword puzzle and sipping tea. They didn’t speak, and the atmosphere was tense for Karan, who was nervous about the audition.

“I was too stressed, it was all new to me,” Karan recalled. After a while, Anand Mahendru came out and greeted the man warmly, asking him to consider a role in Indradhanush. To this, the man casually replied, “No, I just came to tell you I don’t want to do TV anymore. I want to do films. But I really like the tea in your office and wanted to finish the crossword,” and then walked away.

The Man Was Shah Rukh Khan

Puzzled, Karan asked who the man was. Mahendru casually replied, “That’s Shah Rukh Khan. He did Fauji.” Karan admitted with a laugh, “At that time I thought, ‘Yeh kaise star banega?’ (How will this guy ever become a star?)”

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From Awkward Beginnings to Blockbuster Success

Years later, not only did Shah Rukh Khan become the King of Bollywood, but he and Karan Johar went on to form one of the most beloved actor-director collaborations in Indian cinema. From Kuch Kuch Hota Hai and Kabhi Khushi Kabhie Gham to My Name Is Khan, their work together has defined generations of Bollywood fans and helped shape modern Hindi cinema.

Their chemistry—on screen and off—has become legendary, with Shah Rukh often calling Karan his “younger brother,” and Karan crediting Shah Rukh for supporting his directorial vision from day one.