Karan Johar calls out testosterone-heavy films and Bollywood's alpha obsession
Karan Johar criticised Hindi cinema's current tilt towards hyper-masculine, testosterone-heavy storytelling. He said the trend reflects Bollywood's herd mentality and recalled backlash to a scene in Rocky Aur Rani Kii Prem Kahaani.
Producer Karan Johar has spoken about what he sees as Hindi cinema’s growing fascination with hyper-masculine storytelling, saying the industry is currently in a phase dominated by “big alpha” energy and testosterone-heavy narratives. He said that mainstream theatrical releases were increasingly centred on exaggerated displays of masculinity, often at the expense of nuance and diversity in storytelling.
Karan, in an interview with The Week, said that high-octane, male-centric films were driving the theatrical space, where aggression and machismo had taken centre stage, while OTT platforms still offered room for more layered scripts. He also reflected on the criticism he faced for portraying a different kind of masculinity in Rocky Aur Rani Kii Prem Kahaani, a 2023 film featuring Ranveer Singh and Alia Bhatt that he directed.
Criticising what he called a "herd mentality", Karan highlighted that when one genre succeeds, the industry tends to produce numerous imitations. He mentioned that this has led to a surge in hyper-masculine films featuring bearded, smoking protagonists walking in slow motion without any real narrative purpose.
The producer said, "If one film works in a certain zone, there will be 10 more. So you will see 10 more high-octane testosterone movies where men are just walking in slow motion for no reason and going nowhere in particular, but they will be walking in that way."
He emphasised that while these tropes are often justified as what women want to see, it is more likely a reflection of what male filmmakers assume audiences prefer. "They’ll all have beards and they will all smoke. Apparently, that’s what women like to watch, or at least, that’s what the men think," Karan added.
The producer also reflected on the criticism directed at a scene in Rocky Aur Rani Kii Prem Kahaani that depicted a male character performing a classical dance. He shared that many mainstream viewers questioned his decision to portray a man in such a manner, but he remained steadfast in his creative choices. Asserting his long-standing commitment to feminism, Karan explained that he would rather maintain his artistic conviction and tell inclusive stories than cater to an audience that expects traditional tropes.
Lately, Indian cinema has made films headlined by alpha male characters - Dhurandhar (2025), Pushpa 2 (2024), Animal (2023) Jawan (2022) and Pathaan (2022) – all popular and successful. On the work front, Karan is currently gearing up for the theatrical release of Chaand Mera Dil, a romantic drama produced under his Dharma Productions banner.
The film, featuring Ananya Panday and Lakshya in lead roles, is directed by Vivek Soni. Originally scheduled for a December 2025 arrival, Chaand Mera Dil is now set to release in cinemas on May 22, 2026.
Karan is also backing Nagzilla, a project directed by Mrighdeep Singh Lamba featuring Kartik Aaryan. The film is expected to arrive later this year, though an official release date is pending.
Producer Karan Johar has spoken about what he sees as Hindi cinema’s growing fascination with hyper-masculine storytelling, saying the industry is currently in a phase dominated by “big alpha” energy and testosterone-heavy narratives. He said that mainstream theatrical releases were increasingly centred on exaggerated displays of masculinity, often at the expense of nuance and diversity in storytelling.
Karan, in an interview with The Week, said that high-octane, male-centric films were driving the theatrical space, where aggression and machismo had taken centre stage, while OTT platforms still offered room for more layered scripts. He also reflected on the criticism he faced for portraying a different kind of masculinity in Rocky Aur Rani Kii Prem Kahaani, a 2023 film featuring Ranveer Singh and Alia Bhatt that he directed.
Criticising what he called a "herd mentality", Karan highlighted that when one genre succeeds, the industry tends to produce numerous imitations. He mentioned that this has led to a surge in hyper-masculine films featuring bearded, smoking protagonists walking in slow motion without any real narrative purpose.
The producer said, "If one film works in a certain zone, there will be 10 more. So you will see 10 more high-octane testosterone movies where men are just walking in slow motion for no reason and going nowhere in particular, but they will be walking in that way."
He emphasised that while these tropes are often justified as what women want to see, it is more likely a reflection of what male filmmakers assume audiences prefer. "They’ll all have beards and they will all smoke. Apparently, that’s what women like to watch, or at least, that’s what the men think," Karan added.
The producer also reflected on the criticism directed at a scene in Rocky Aur Rani Kii Prem Kahaani that depicted a male character performing a classical dance. He shared that many mainstream viewers questioned his decision to portray a man in such a manner, but he remained steadfast in his creative choices. Asserting his long-standing commitment to feminism, Karan explained that he would rather maintain his artistic conviction and tell inclusive stories than cater to an audience that expects traditional tropes.
Lately, Indian cinema has made films headlined by alpha male characters - Dhurandhar (2025), Pushpa 2 (2024), Animal (2023) Jawan (2022) and Pathaan (2022) – all popular and successful. On the work front, Karan is currently gearing up for the theatrical release of Chaand Mera Dil, a romantic drama produced under his Dharma Productions banner.
The film, featuring Ananya Panday and Lakshya in lead roles, is directed by Vivek Soni. Originally scheduled for a December 2025 arrival, Chaand Mera Dil is now set to release in cinemas on May 22, 2026.
Karan is also backing Nagzilla, a project directed by Mrighdeep Singh Lamba featuring Kartik Aaryan. The film is expected to arrive later this year, though an official release date is pending.
