Karan Johar is bracing for the biggest project of his so far: Takht, which means throne.
The period drama stars A-listers like Ranveer Singh, Alia Bhatt, Kareena Kapoor Khan, Anil Kapoor, Bhumi Pednekar and Vicky Kaushal.
Speaking to the website Film Companion, Johar did not reveal much about the film except to say that Takht is set in the Mughal era and is a tale of two warring brothers. He also said the story is based on facts.
A period film with a stellar cast, Takht is already being touted as Karan Johar's most ambitious project. And the director does not disagree.
“Opulence-wise and scale-wise it’s my biggest to date,” he told the website. “It’s scary and nerve-wracking. I’m scared every minute of the day. The announcement shook me up. I’m petrified.
"It’s not the scale. It’s also the relationship dynamic. It’s like the K3G [Kabhi Khushi Kabhie Gham] of the Mughal era. But it’s more extreme, there is more betrayal. It has the tropes of court politics. It’s so rich in texture.”
Johar had produced and directed the multi-starrer Kabhi Khushi Kabhie Gham (2001) which was made at the then fabulous budget of Rs45 crore.
Speak of opulence and only one name springs to mind today: Sanjay Leela Bhansali, the maker of films like Padmaavat (2018) and Bajirao Mastani (2015). Karan Johar is aware that his Takht is certain to be compared with Bhansali’s films.
“I would be lying if I didn’t admit that the comparison is challenging," he said. "I love Sanjay’s aesthetic. The comparison scares me, but I hope I can find my own voice.
“I hope I’m not doomed by comparison. I am just recovering from Sairat [Johar had produced the Marathi blockbuster's Hindi remake Dhadak (2018)] and I can’t go there again.
"I also don’t want to be overwhelmed by it. He [Bhansali] has set the bar high and if I pay homage to his work, I will be proud of it. So much of my cinema pays homage to Yash Chopra, but I still gave it my own vision and my own palette."
More than the comparison, Johar said, his biggest fear is that he might not do justice to the potential of the story.
Takht will be Johar’s first directorial after Ae Dil Hai Mushkil (2016). The filmmaker is targeting a 2020 release for Takht.