Karan Johar may be one of Bollywood’s biggest names, but at home, he’s just a dad to his twins, Yash and Roohi. In a heartfelt conversation, he opened up about becoming a single parent through surrogacy, the questions his kids are starting to ask, and the honest talks he knows are coming soon.
A proud decision
He became a father via surrogacy in 2017—a decision he has always embraced openly. However, he admits it comes with its own emotional milestones, especially as he prepares for the day he’ll have to explain it to his children.
A poetic beginning
On the podcast Soul Safar with Bhaav, the director shared how he initially introduced the idea of their birth to his twins. He recalled telling them they came from “Dada’s heart,” a poetic explanation that satisfied them for a while. However, as his daughter grew older and began understanding basic biology, she pointed out that babies have to come from someone’s stomach—but didn’t press further. Karan added that from a young age, Yash and Roohi have called his mother “mumma,” though they’re aware she’s actually their grandmother. Now eight years old, he said the “big, solid chat” about surrogacy hasn’t happened yet, but he believes they have some understanding and aren’t entirely unaware.
The big talk
That “big, solid chat,” as Karan puts it, is on the horizon—and when the time comes, he’s prepared to face it with honesty, openness, and pride in the journey that made him a father.He shared that the day for that honest conversation is approaching, and he plans to meet it with complete transparency. He intends to explain the process to his children, emphasizing that he’s immensely proud of his decision. “It’s not like they’ve been denied love,” he said, adding that he and his mother have given Yash and Roohi the kind of love a couple would. His hope is that, when the time comes, they’ll have the emotional maturity to understand and embrace their story without carrying any sense of baggage.
A changed man
Parenthood has profoundly reshaped Johar’s outlook on life. Once known as the life of every Bollywood party, he now finds his greatest joy and purpose at home. Reflecting on the shift, Karan admitted he spent years trying to impress others and shine in social circles—only to realise that the real celebration was always with his children.