Acting wasn’t an easy journey for Karan Johar’s protégé, Siddharth Malhotra

For an newcomer to quickly rise to stardom, one certainly needs a strong footing in the film industry. Debutant Siddharth Malhotra howeer managed to achieve it all despite lacking a filmy background. The actor recently made his first big-screen appearance with the film Student of the Year, a Karan Johar project. Siddharth stars alongside Varun Dhawan and Alia Bhatt in this latest release, both of who have also made their debut with Student of the Year. Unlike Varun Dhawan who is the son of the veteran filmmaker David Dhawan and Alia Bhatt, the daughter of Mahesh Bhatt, Siddharth comes from a family with no connections in Bollywood.

Siddharth Malhotra

"It has not been an easy journey. I started my career with modeling and then worked with Karan as an assistant director. At that time I had never imagined that he will cast me as a lead actor in his movie," said Siddharth Malhotra who first began his stint in Bollywood as an Assistant Director to Karan Johar for the film My Name is Khan in 2010. Speaking about his co-stars Varun and Alia, Siddharth added, "I have nothing to fall back on, for them (Alia and Varun) they can take guidance from there parents but I can't even discuss anything with my parents as they know nothing about the industry. I have to work harder and be more attentive because I don't have an option. So it does make it tougher”.

 In his first film, Siddharth plays the role of Abhimanyu Singh aka Abhi, a middle class boy who enrolls at a prestigious school in Dehradun on a sports scholarship. Here he meets Shanaya Singhania (Alia Bhatt) and her boyfriend Rohan Nanda (Varun Dhawan), the swaggering son of a business tycoon. Student of the Year also includes Rishi Kapoor who pulls of the role of a gay school dean fantastically. Karan Johar’s Student of the Year hit cinema screens on the 19th of October, 2012.

“Age doesn't matter," says Karan Johar’s newbie, Alia Bhatt

Alia Bhatt has been shot into the realm of stardom with her fabulous and successful debut, Karan Johar’s most recent release titled Student of the Year. The Bhatt girl stars in the film’s lead alongside two more debutants, Siddharth Malhotra and Varun Dhawan, both of who vie for her attention in this campus romance. The 19-year-old is the daughter of filmmaker Mahesh Bhatt and Soni Razdan and hails from a strong filmy background, with Pooja Bhatt for an elder sister.

Being young and a fresher hasn’t kept Alia Bhatt from proving her worth in front of the cameras however. "There are actresses who started working at a very young age. Like my sister (Pooja Bhatt) started working when she was 17. So age doesn't matter," articulates Alia. "I had decided to become an actress when I was much younger. It was a conscious decision. I just didn't know it would happen as soon as I finish my college".

Despite being from one of the most illustrious families in B-town, Alia chose to launch her career with Karan Johar’s Dharma Productions instead. If a doctor’s son wants to be a doctor, he’s sent to a medical school to study. In the same way, I want to go out and study acting for myself. If I had started off with my father’s film, it would’ve all been too easy,” says Alia.

And yes, Alia wasn’t handpicked for this Karan Johar directorial venture. Instead, the pretty young actress was required to audition for the film to prove her knack for the big screen. "I had decided that I would not start off with my father's production only because it's an easier option. For this film, I had to work for it, like lose weight, prove myself, etc. There were around 500 girls who had given the auditions along with me."

Catch Alia Bhatt as the campus sweetheart Shanaya Singhania in Karan Johar’s Student of the Year.

Student of the Year director Karan Johar launches new talent

Karan Johar’s Dharma Productions has been doing exceptionally well this year, keeping up the legacy of the production house with multiple hit releases! Besides his directorial ventures, including Kuch Kuch Hota Hai (1998), Khushi Kabhi Gham (2001), Kabhi Alvida Naa Kehna (2006) and My Name Is Khan (2010), Karan has also produced several blockbusters under his Dharma Productions banner. In the bargain, the filmmaker has launched new talent time and again, introducing a new wave of directors to B-town.

Recently, Karan Johar paved the way ahead for directors Karan Malhotra and Shakun Batra, both of who have lived up to the expectations of the filmmaker and his fans with their films Agneepath and Ek Main Aur Ekk Tu respectively. Karan has on previous account also launched Nikhil Advani, Tarun Mansukhani and Ayan Mukerji. However, his most recent release titled Student of the Year is a trend-breaker of sorts for the director. Released on the 19th of October, 2012, the film is Karan’s first with newcomers in the lead. The film is also the first film directed by Karan without his lucky charm, Shah Rukh Khan, playing the lead.

Student of the Year marks the debut of Siddharth Malhotra, Varun Dhawan and Alia Bhatt. The three have made their baby-steps in the world of stardom with this film and have received a lot of acclaim for their performances in Student of the Year. “We did workshops and they were found to be right for the roles. They have this enduring charm to them and though they had some rough edges, I knew that they had potential to face the camera. Moreover after watching the film, you would realize that they have this correct celluloid presence. While Siddharth has the right restraint to play Abhi, Varun carries good enough flamboyance to play Rohan,” said Karan previously, speaking about his discoveries.

Catch Karan Johar’s latest, Student of the Year, at a cinema near you today!

Karan Johar breaks free from the clutter with his campus-romance, Student of the Year

For Karan Johar, filmmaking has always been more than just a business. After having directed a bunch of successful films including Kuch Hota Hai (1998), Kabhi Khushi Kabhi Gham (2001), Kabhi Alvida Naa Kehna (2006), My Name Is Khan (2010) and Student of the Year (2012) and producing several more, the director-producer and chief of Dharma Productions continues to be passionate about his trade. Quoting Karan Johar from a recent interview, “My work is my lifeline. My films move me and I don’t have a life besides my movies. They are my primary passion.”

For Karan Johar, following a trend set in Bollywood isn’t the best way to go about. Instead, he chooses to stay clear of the clutter and draw out films unlike any that have been rolled out before. “I am driven only by my instinct. I don’t go by what is happening around. If remakes are being made, that does not mean I will also make one. Or just because masala action films are working, does not mean I will make one. I make what I believe in and hope to achieve the best with it. I don’t follow a norm or go by trends. I make what motivates me,” says Karan.

His newest film simply goes to reflect the fact that this Bollywood bigwig prefers the non-conformist way. Unlike most filmmakers today who rope in superstars in an attempt to draw in the crowds, Karan Johar has casted three newcomers for his latest release titled Student of the Year. The director’s movie-making style is synonymous with lots of glamour and extravagance, and his campus romance starring debutants Siddharth Malhotra, Varun Dhawan and Alia Bhatt includes it all.

In the film, Siddharth, Varun and Alia play the roles of three students at a prestigious school presided over by a gay dean (played by Rishi Kapoor) who compete against each other to win the school trophy, putting their relationships at stake.

Catch Karan Johar’s Student of the Year at a cinema near you today!

Karan Johar: One in a million indeed!

Filmmaking is an art not many have successfully mastered. However, when it comes to director-producer Karan Johar, rolling out blockbusters time and again comes naturally. Heading his own production house Dharma Productions, one of the biggest in Bollywood, Karan Johar has carved a mark for himself in the world of filmmaking. Passionate and completely in love with movies, Karan Johar has won a load of acclaim from fans, his peers and the industry as a whole for his fool-proof film-making trends.

Karan, the son of the late filmmaker Yash Johar, was born in Mumbai and completed his education at the HR College of Commerce and Economics. He later assisted Aditya Chopra in the making of the film ‘Dilwale Dulhaniya Le Jayenge’, a move that introduced him to the subtle art of directing movies. From there on, Karan Johar went on to unveil bestselling movies, beginning with the 1990 hit ‘Kuch Kuch Hota Hai’. Besides this, Karan has also directed the films Kabhi Khushi Kabhi Gham (2001), Kabhi Alvida Naa Kehna (2006) and My Name Is Khan (2010), with his most recent movie, Student of the Year starring Siddharth Malhotra, Varun Dhawan and Alia Bhatt hitting cinema screens recently.

And that’s not all. His production house has produced several more films and launched a bunch of new directors. Karan Johar is synonymous with glamour and panache, a fact that is portrayed in all of his films. The director also tends to include larger-than-life characters in his films, giving viewers a fantastical experience unlike any other. A crafter of dreams indeed, the 40-year-old director has dedicated the best of his years to making movies.

As for Karan’s latest film Student of the Year, the director has breathed life into his campus-romance dream, roping in newcomers Siddarth, Varun and Alia to play the lead. The film revolves around a love triangle set in an extravagant school in Dehradun. Student of the Year also includes appearance by television actors Ronit Roy and Ram Kapoor with veteran actor Rishi Kapoor playing a gay school dean.

Catch Karan Johar’s Student of the Year at a cinema near you!

Student of the Year director Karan Johar in love with filmmaking

Karan johar

Being one of the most eligible bachelors in town isn’t easy, particularly when you’re a successful filmmaker who regularly steals hearts with his films. Dharma Productions chief has been pestered time and again to spill the beans on his relationship status and his plans to tie the knot. Now 40 and at the prime of his career, Karan Johar however has shown no inclination towards anything of the sort. He continues to profess his undying love for filmmaking. Quoting Karan, "I just want to make films... My office has become my family. People who work in my office have become my world. I really don't feel the need for anyone."

Known for his romantic and glamorous films, Karan Johar has expressed his thoughts on bachelorhood before, preferring to be single and give his full-hearted attention to what he does best, making films! "My mother is the most happy that I am not married, as she does not need to share her jeweler with anyone," jokes Karan. More often than not however, the director chooses to remain tight-lipped about his personal relationships. “I have invariably been in love when I haven't had the same reciprocated emotion at all. I don't choose to talk about my personal life because I believe that I don't want to and I believe my personal life is personal.”

That however doesn’t keep him from stating that he does hope to find love eventually and nurture a relationship. “I hate walking into an empty bedroom at night. There're large lonely moments. Fortunately, I've the best relationship possible with my mother. That makes up for every relationship I don't have. Of course, I'd love to be in a relationship. But it has to be one I completely believe in," says Karan Johar.

His latest release titled Student of the Year is a campus romance starring Siddharth Malhotra, Varun Dhawan and Alia Bhatt. The film hit cinema screens on the 19th of October, 2012, and has been giving the box office a hay day since its release.

Student of the Year: Karan Johar’s fifth is a glamorous campus-romance!

Campus-romances and dramas revolving around the lives of youngsters are crowd pullers to say the least and Karan Johar’s recent release titled Student of the Year has been drawing in youngsters and the aged alike. Starring newcomers Siddharth Malhotra, Varun Dhawan and Alia Bhatt, this film also includes appearances by veteran actor Rishi Kapoor, television stars Ram Kapoor and Ronit Roy with debutant Kayoze Irani (actor Boman Irani’s son) and Sana Saeed who played a child artist in Karan Johar’s first film, Kuch Kuch Hota Hai.

Student of the Year is set in the fictional St. Teresa’s High School in Dehradun. In the film, Siddharth Malhotra plays Abhimanyu Singh aka Abhi, an athletic middle-class boy who enrolls at the prestigious school on a sports scholarship. At the school, he meets Rohan Nanda (Varun Dhawan), the son of a business tycoon. Despite their different backgrounds and attitudes, the two become the best of friends. As the film proceeds, Abhi naively falls in love with Shanaya Singhania (Alia Bhatt), disregarding the fact that her boyfriend Rohan is his friend. This causes a rift between Abhi and Rohan whose friendship turns into a bitter enmity as they each try to win Shanaya’s heart.

Amidst the ensuing love triangle, the school’s gay dean Yogendra Vasisht (Rishi Kapoor) announces the Student of the Year Trophy. Abhi, Rohan and Shanaya then lock horns as they each try their hand at winning the esteemed school title for their own personal reasons. The film takes interesting twists and turns that will keep you hooked and is complete with Karan Johar’s signature glamour and extravagance.
An enjoyable coming-of-age story, Student of the Year has its leading trio party hard, drive fast cars and compete in athletic events, all set against a glorious school campus unlike any you’ve stumbled across before. The film is produced jointly by Karan Johar’s Dharma Productions and Shah Rukh Khan’s Red Chillies Entertainment and released on 19th October.

Filmmaker showers Karan Johar with praises for Student of the Year

Karan Johar

Karan Johar  has just pulled the veil off his fifth directorial venture titled Student of the Year, and as expected of a Karan Johar film, this movie has gained a load of attention with movie-buffs pouring into cinema halls across India. The movie stars three new-faces in the lead, Siddharth Malhotra, Varun Dhawan and Alia Bhatt. Making their first big-screen appearances, these young actors have performed extremely well, despite their freshness. Released on the 19th of October, 2012, Student of the Year is currently doing exceptionally well.

And it isn’t only everyday movie-goers who have been showering this movie with praise. Filmmaker Mukesh Bhatt has been showering Karan Johar’s fifth with praise. "It`s a blockbuster. If you have to give the trophy to someone, then it has to be Karan Johar. Hats off to him for making such a good and a big film with newcomers. So if you ask me, the star is Karan Johar," says the filmmaker. For him, Student of the Year is a revolutionizing movie that will give the Bollywood industry a new taste and landscape. "This film will change the landscape of the industry, I can assure you. The new generation is going to take over and thank god. High time new generation comes and takes over," says Mukesh.

Quoting Mukesh Bhatt, "This film will change the landscape of the industry, I can assure you. The new generation is going to take over and thank god. High time new generation comes and takes over." Also, the film’s female lead Alia Bhatt is the niece of Mr. Bhatt. Impressed by Karan’s flair for creating movies, the filmmaker has also acclaimed the performances of the film’s leading trio. "If you tell me to give marks, then I will give all three of them 100 out of 100 and this is not a diplomatic statement. All three of them are wonderful," added the filmmaker.

A trend-breaking film, both for Karan Johar as well as the Bollywood industry as a whole, this campus romance is expected to keep theaters bursting with folks looking for a dose of entertaining and enjoyable cinema.

Student of the Year director Karan Johar prefers staying single!

Karan Johar

Director-producer Karan Johar has been pestered for spills and leaks in regards to his personal life. Silent and with lips sealed shut, the veteran director has chosen to keep his life at home away from his profession of making movies. A filmmaker unlike any other, Karan Johar started directing movies over a decade ago and has rolled out one blockbuster after another, with each of his films managing to give the box office a hay day. Now 40 and cool, composed and mature as ever, Karan Johar has in the pipeline yet another film titled Student of the Year. A campus-romance and Karan’s first with a newcomer cast, the film stars Siddharth Malhotra, Varun Dhawan and Alia Bhatt in the lead.

When asked to articulate his thoughts on marriage in a recent interview with Hindustan Times Café, Karan Johar said, “I believe there are some really beautiful and immaculately solid marriages still! In fact I know how much my father meant to my mother. What a beautiful marriage they had and I am blessed to have grown up in such a marriage. I feel what a spouse can do for you, no child or parent can. Just that if you get the right connect with your spouse, you get it going right.” There have been rumors of the director tying the knot before, all of which however were later confirmed to be untrue.

Karan has also previously stated that being single has kept him happier. Quoting Karan Johar in regards to this, “Right now I am not ready for any kind of relationship as I am too used to my independence. Marriage is a definite no-no. I am totally married to my company. Emotionally, my mother fills up the void in my life. So there it is. My company is a spouse I will never cheat on, and my mother completes me as a son. I think I have a full family unit of my own. I am happy probably because I am single. Let’s face it, how many married people are really happy? Just kidding (laughs)!”

Karan Johar’s Student of the Year will mark the debut of Siddharth Malhotra, Varun Dhawan and Alia Bhatt and will release on the 19th of October, 2012.

Siddharth Malhotra, Varun Dhawan and Alia Bhatt feature on L'Officiel magazine cover

Student of the Year’s debutants Siddharth Malhotra, Varun Dhawan and Alia Bhatt have been making heads turn lately with pictures of the trio turning up nearly everywhere. Camera-ready and extremely photogenic, the three newcomers together been featured on the cover of the Filmfare magazine. Recently, Siddharth, Varun and Alia have also graced the cover of the latest edition of L'Officiel. Clad in chic outfits, the young actors seem to have mastered stardom and are termed as some of Bollywood’s most promising newcomers. While Siddharth and Varun sport handsome blazers, Alia gracefully dons a floral outfit on the cover of this glossy.

Besides these appearances on renowned magazines, Siddharth, Varun and Alia along with director Karan Johar have also been promoting the film across India and overseas as well. The actors have attended promotional events at the Eternity Mall in Nagpur, Pune’s Indira College, the Podar College in Mumbai, AIIMS-Delhi, Dayananda Sagar Institution (DSI) in Bangalore and also the Infiniti Mall in Mumbai. Apart from this, they have also promoted Student of the Year at a west-London cinema and in Dubai.

The actors, making their first big screen appearances with Student of the Year, will enjoy a dream debut with this Karan Johar film. While model-turned-actor Siddharth Malhotra has no filmy background to fall back on, Varun Dhawan and Alia Bhatt both come from Bollywood-based families. Working hard to perfect their onscreen personas, the trio has been showered with praises by fans and their director-mentor, Karan Johar. As articulated by the Dharma Productions chief, "The film is a big responsibility on Dharma Production's shoulders and mine. We are launching the career of three new faces through this film - Alia Bhatt, Varun Dhawan and Siddharth Malhotra. All of them are very promising and talented. So, we as a production house have to make sure that we stand up to the expectation of all."

Student of the Year is produced by Karan Johar’s Dharma Productions and Shah Rukh Khan’s Red Chillies Entertainment. The film will also include debut appearances by actor Boman Irani's son Kayoze Irani and actress Sana Saeed and will release on the 19th of October, 2012.

For Karan Johar, the upcoming Siddharth Malhotra-starrer is a “big responsibility”

The upcoming film Student of the Year is just a week away from hitting cinema screens and has managed to create quite a buzz. Directed by Karan Johar, the film will star three newcomers making their first appearances on the big screen, Siddharth Malhotra, Varun Dhawan and Alia Bhatt. The film is Karan Johar’s first with debutant actors and without his close friend and lucky mascot, Shah Rukh Khan.

For Karan Johar, the upcoming film is more than just one of his several directorial ventures. Quoting Karan, “The film is a big responsibility on Dharma Production's shoulders and mine. We are launching the career of three new faces through this film - Alia Bhatt, Varun Dhawan and Siddharth Malhotra. All of them are very promising and talented. So, we as a production house have to make sure that we stand up to the expectation of all”. While Siddharth Malhotra is a model-turned-actor with no background in the film industry, Varun Dhawan is the son of director David Dhawan. Alia Bhatt on the other hand is the daughter of director Mahesh Bhatt and the half-sister of Pooja Bhatt.

Siddharth and Varun have worked with Karan Johar before, assisting the director during the making of the film My Name Is Khan. Noticing their knack for the big-screen, Karan quickly roped the duo in for his upcoming film. “Siddharth Malhotra as well as Varun Dhawan had assisted me in “My Name Is Khan” and were involved in the process of production right throughout. Moreover they also observed me quite closely as a director. What I like about them is that they are totally different from each other, be in terms of personality or energy. I realized that they had the faces that were for cinema and it was about time that they were seen on the big screen,” says Karan Johar.

In Student of the Year, Siddharth Malhotra plays Abhimanyu Sing aka Abhi. Alia Bhatt stars as Shanaya Singh while Varun Dhawan will be seen playing the role of her boyfriend Rohan Nanda. Catch Karan Johar’s next at a cinema near you on the 19th of October, 2012.

Rishi Kapoor plays gay character in Karan Johar’s Student of the Year

This October, Karan Johar’s fifth directorial venture will hit cinema screens across the world. Titled Student of the Year, this movie is marked as a trend-breaker and is set apart from Karan’s previous films. A campus-romance starring Siddharth Malhotra, Varun Dhawan and Alia Bhatt, Student of the Year is one of the year’s most anticipated films. This is also the trio’s first big-screen appearance and is expected to give the box office a hay day.

Besides Siddharth, Varun and Alia, the film also stars veteran actor Rishi Kapoor and television stars Ram Kapoor and Ronit Roy. Known as one of Bollywood’s finest romantic actors of the days gone by, Rishi Kapoor will play a bold and eccentric character in Karan Johar’s next. The actor will don the role of a gay college dean named Yogendra Vasisht. A role unlike any other Rishi Kapoor has played before, his performance in the upcoming film is well anticipated. In Student of the Year, Yogendra Vasisht is projected to have a soft corner for Ronit Roy’s character. "Yes, my character is soft on Ronit in Student of the Year. Why not? I play the dean of the college. And yes, my character is gay.  It's one of the most important roles of my career at the moment. This is the time of my career when I get to experiment. I don't want to play the conventional father. Besides, I can't say no to Karan," says Rishi Kapoor. The role was rumored to be initially meant for Karan Johar’s close friend and lucky charm Shah Rukh Khan. The superstar will however make no appearances in the film. On the other hand, Shah Rukh Khan’s Red Chillies Entertainment has lent a hand in the film’s production along with Karan Johar’s Dharma Productions.

In Student of the Year, Siddharth Malhotra, Varun Dhawan and Alia Bhatt will play the roles of Abhimanyu Singh aka Abhi, Rohan Nanda and Shanaya Singhania. After being enrolled at an esteemed school in Dehradun, the three meet, become friends, fall in love and eventually compete with each other to win the prestigious Student of the Year Trophy.

Student of the Year will hit cinema screens on the 19th of October, 2012.

Karan Johar’s Siddharth Malhotra-starrer Student of the Year does well with distributors

You know a film has been marketed just right when, besides the hordes of movie-goers, the industry shows a load of interest as well. Such is the case with Karan Johar’s upcoming film titled Student of the Year. The fifth movie directed by Karan Johar, following his previous films including Kuch Kuch Hota Hai (1998), Kabhi Khushi Kabhi Gham (2001), Kabhi Alvida Naa Kehna (2006) and My Name Is Khan (2010), Student of the Year will star three newcomers in the lead, Siddharth Malhotra, Varun Dhawan and Alia Bhatt.

As per reports, distributors have considered the upcoming film by Karan Johar to be a goldmine of sorts. According to distributor Anil Thadani, “More than the trade, what is important to note is the curiosity among the audience at large. Despite featuring newcomers, this is a big-scale film like a Khanstarrer and people are looking forward to watching it in the cinemas. Siddharth, Varun and Alia seem to have already been accepted by the audience.” This simply goes to prove just how well the film could do once released. And the novelty of this Karan Johar directorial venture isn’t all that’s driving the masses in. the film’s soundtrack has received a tremendous response and has set feet tapping across webspace. “After long, we have a complete album that has been so widely appreciated. People are loving Vele as much as they’re loving Ishq Wala Love and The Disco Song. I won’t be surprised if this breaks the clutter and does big numbers at the box office,” says Thadani.

Also, Karan Johar has stated previously that his love for films certainly doesn’t revolve around the profits they rake in. “I wouldn’t be able to sleep at night if I just made a film to make money. There has to be more to the film even if there’s a chance that it may go wrong. And I have gone wrong. I have made films that haven’t worked. But I have never made films just for money. I’d never make a film which people would call a package. That would kill me,” says Karan. The director has been known to spend extravagantly on his films, all of which have managed to score well at the box office.

Karan Johar’s Student of the Year will release on the 19th of October, 2012.