BOLLYWOOD HOLLYWOOD TELEVISION ‘ACTORS DON’T HAVE FRIENDS’

Filmmaker Karan Johar says that friendships in the film fraternity are seasonal and that people are unequipped to carry relationships

Filmmaker Karan Johar (below) feels people from the movie industry are “lost” with the kind of expectations they carry. Johar says since there is “so much else” that the actors have to deal with, they end up having temporary friendships instead of long standing ones. “Movie people just don’t have friends. They’ve so much else to deal with. I find that about film actors particularly, that they don’t have friends. They don’t have a lot of friendships and the ones they have, they are actually seasonal.

“They go from film to film. I’ve been a friend who has been a seasonal friend, I’ve also made some seasonal friends. I do know what that feels like.”

The 44-year-old says he doesn’t know that due to this film stars are lonely but feels they are definitely lost.

“Everyone’s lost in the film industry. Everyday you are combating expectations, success is expected of you, there is so much baggage that you carry. There is daily reportage of what you wear, say, or don’t say,” he said.

The 44-year-old filmmaker says many industry people are just not equipped to carry a relationship. “I think many of us are unequipped to handle our relationships because of who we are. Sometimes it is because of our intense megalomania, sometimes because we are delusional...,” he said.

Johar hopes one change within the industry should be “the ability to nurture our friendships. We just do not know how to make friends,” he said. “It is not impossible. Every relationship is difficult. It takes working on (it) and I feel a lot of people from within the industry don’t do that, because it’s all about themselves. “You cannot make life about yourself. It has to be about the people who surround you, or else you’re going to be irrelevant very soon,” he added.

Actor Matt Smith (above) said he has the face to play a James Bond villain, but is not “handsome enough” to portray the suave spy

he 34-year-old said he could never be a serious contender to play the iconic British spy. But, he would be right for one of the villains in the franchise. “Oh God, I don’t think I’m handsome enough... I’m more of a Bond villain,” he said.

Playing The Doctor is just as iconic a role, and the 34-year-old star is accepting of the fact it’s what he will always be recognised for. “It’s always about The Doctor (when I get recognised). I don’t get anything else and I’ve always known that’s how it will be for the foreseeable future because of the cultural devotion — I’ve made my peace with that from the start. Maybe it will be something else in 20 years — if I’m lucky. I’m lucky to be associated with that show in the first place,” he added.