Karan Johar Finally Gets Candid About Roohi And Yash, Calls Them His “Biggest Blockbusters”.

It was a celebration time for the industry when Bollywood’s one of the most loved film makers became a proud parent to twins. The party animal and the socialite finally had a new noun to describe him- dad!

The new dad is excited about the arrival of his biggest blockbuster, his two new friends, who right now only “eat, sleep, burp, wail and poop”. While till now he hasn’t shared much about this new experience, he decided to bare his heart in an interview with Mark Manuel for HT Brunch. He shared how it felt to be a dad, how he finally decided to become a single dad and why he wouldn’t be the nappy changing daddy but a “fulltime heart-on father and mother”. Here are some excerpts:

His feelings when Roohi and Yash were born:

“My life has changed since Roohi and Yash arrived. At 44, this is my biggest blockbuster. I still haven’t realised the enormity of what’s happened. They’re only two months old. And all they do is eat, sleep, burp, wail and poop. Kabhi khushi, kabhie gham! While I stare at them in wonder. But I can’t get over the fact that they are mine. It’s like a powerful switch has suddenly come on in my life, filling the emptiness in my personal space with new energy. I get teary-eyed just looking at them. It’s surreal to think of them as my daughter and son. It’s daunting even, but in a gorgeous way, when I wake up suddenly at night to remember that I have life breathing in the next room that I’m totally accountable for. My universe was Dad, Mom and films. But now there are Roohi and Yash. My two new friends".

How Karan felt from the time his twins were conceived to the moment he brought them home:

"Fatherhood is proving to be a breathtaking rollercoaster ride. When they were conceived, I was ecstatic, but I told myself I would be a responsible father and not a paranoid mother. Then came the complexities of premature birth. And the heartache of seeing them in the incubator. But I felt a strong sense of ownership. They were my lifelines. A lifelong dream come true. And I couldn’t wait to take them in my arms. When I did that for the first time, it was incredible. I knew this was the beginning of a different kind of love story. The start of the best phase of my life. Mothers go through these emotions. Fathers come in later. But I was there right from the start, with the other mothers in the ICU whose babies were also born weighing less than 1.5 kilos, their vital body parts, their tiny lungs and heart underdeveloped. And each time a baby crossed 2 kilos and the nurses put up a smiley sunshine face announcing this, I would celebrate with their mothers because I fully empathised with them.”

When Karan brought Yash and Roohi home for the first time:

“The day they came home from the hospital is an experience that’s going to stay etched in my memory. Like the premier of Kuch Kuch Hota Hai in 1998. It was my first film and I still remember every moment. What I wore. What I said. The day I carried Roohi and Yash home was like that. Life changing. Actually, it was a full on K3G moment! Very dramatic. With my Mom proudly standing at the door like Jaya Aunty holding a puja thali with burning diyas to welcome not her bahu – but her grandkids, all my aunts crowded behind her. I took my babies straight into the room where my father’s picture is placed. When I saw their reflection in the glass, merging with his image, I closed my eyes in gratitude and experienced the awe of the moment. I knew they had his blessings. These are scenes out of a film but drawn from real life. For me, that was a moment of faith. But it was only the trailer. Picture abhi baki hai!"

About being a single parent:

“A single father is unusual in India. There are some famous single fathers in the world, celebs who were brave to have babies out of surrogacy, like Cristiano Ronaldo and Ricky Martin. But I wasn’t inspired by them. Or by anybody. I know Tusshar Kapoor took the step first. And what he did was amazing. But by the time his son Laksshya was born, my procedure had also started. I feel connected to Tusshar by our common decision. You can’t be inspired by anybody to have a baby out of surrogacy. You have to be emotionally ready. I was also prepared mentally, physically and logistically".

“I was ready for fatherhood”- Karan Johar

At 40, I wasn’t ready. But two years ago, I decided I needed to bring this new energy into my life. I didn’t want to be a victim of my achievements. It’s easy to get carried away by who I am. But I never wanted to be defined by my professional successes. I thought I had lived half my life, and all the things I had done were great, but what about things I hadn’t done? Your achievements are transitional. Emotions are permanent. I had been thinking about having a child for a long time. And I knew I had the capacity to be an adequate parent. I’ve nurtured so many people in the film industry, so many young actors, I’ve been like a parent to them more than a producer and director. I’ve been with them in their professional highs and their emotional meltdowns.

But I played devil’s advocate with myself. Was I being selfish? Did I want to have a child only because I was afraid of growing old alone? Would I be an overprotective and overindulgent father because I wouldn’t want my child to accuse me of being a flawed parent and grow up missing a mother? But who’s to tell me that I can’t be a responsible parent, and the best mother and father in the world to my kid? This was an emotional, well-thought-out decision made after acknowledging and addressing all the issues facing me, and after considering all the responsibilities and duties that come with being a single parent. I was ready for fatherhood. But was I prepared for twins? I was ready for triplets!”

I’ve been like a mother, a father and a well-behaved housewife.

“Now, of course, my babies are the superstars of my universe. Ever since they came home, I’ve been like a mother, a father and a well-behaved housewife. People have been dropping in non-stop to see them, they come in shifts, and I’ve been running around serving them tea and snacks. Alia Bhatt comes every other day and sits for hours. I’m not paranoid about people wanting to hold my babies. Roohi and Yash are not royalty and meant to be stared at from behind a glass window. But I insist they sanitise their hands and take off their footwear first. Babies absorb energy. I like to think they are making eye contact with everyone but they’re just looking into oblivion. I like to imagine they are smiling in recognition but actually they’re just passing gas! The love and support I’m getting from friends who are family is phenomenal. Everybody feels a sense of responsibility towards me and mine. Even old friends who have reconnected with me after their birth. Everybody says they are now so happy for me."

And this is how Karan introduces everyone to Yash and Roohi

"I introduce every visitor to Roohi and Yash by name. ‘This is your Chacha and this is your Bua!’ I give them all a family tag. I want my babies to know that their family is large. It’s not just Mom and me, though my mother is my biggest support."

The change Yash and roohi brought in their ‘dadi”!

"She (Hiroo Johar) has had multiple surgeries for the spine, for her hips, knees, she’s been in and out of hospital constantly. But you should see her now. Full of zing! She’s up early, fully made up and with her hair done, ready to face a new day with her grandkids. I’ve never seen her looking younger than she is today."

About not being a hands on parent but a heart-on mother and father

I want all the help I can I get… I listen to everybody and then take my own decisions. I could give paranoid mothers a master class! People ask if I’m a hands-on parent. Do I change my babies’ nappies? I think this is overrated. It doesn’t add up to anything. Changing nappies is not going to go into their energy streams. I don’t remember my parents changing mine. But I remember being held and hugged. Even then, I did it once. The first time Roohi and Yash came home, because I felt it would be great if I was able to clean up their mess. But it was like ticking an inbox! I don’t want to be that kind of hands-on parent when I can be a fulltime heart-on father and mother!”

 this is truly touching, isn't it?