Prince William may soon be catching up on one of Bollywood’s most loved family dramas. The Prince of Wales has called Karan Johar an “icon” and said he would watch Kabhi Khushi Kabhie Gham (K3G) after a journalist suggested the film during a conversation about their recent meeting in London.
The meeting took place during an event linked to the Earthshot Prize, the environmental initiative founded by Prince William and The Royal Foundation. Karan has been helping the project build a stronger presence in India, and the Prince acknowledged his contribution while speaking about their interaction. The conversation took a Bollywood turn when the journalist asked whether William had watched any of the filmmaker’s movies.
Prince William praises Karan Johar’s contribution to Earthshot Prize
Asked how the meeting went, Prince William had warm words for Johar and his work with the initiative. He told BBC Asian Network, “Really cool. I mean, he’s again an icon, and he’s been so helpful in kind of being able to help the Earthshot prize land, well in India. We want to make it a truly Indian Earthshot Prize. It’s the biggest one we’ve done.”
The Prince also referred to Karan as “modest” while discussing his involvement with the project. The journalist then brought up the filmmaker’s movies, pointing out that some of his best-known films have become familiar to audiences well beyond India. William admitted that he had not watched any of his films yet, but seemed open to changing that. He replied, “No, he’s being very modest. But I’m sure as time goes on, he’ll introduce some more films to me.”
The journalist had a specific recommendation in mind: Kabhi Khushi Kabhie Gham, the 2001 family drama starring Amitabh Bachchan, Jaya Bachchan, Shah Rukh Khan, Kajol, Hrithik Roshan and Kareena Kapoor Khan. Encouraging William to give it a watch, the journalist said: “Yeah, we all say K3G anyway. If you meet Karan again, ‘Tell him, I’m going to watch your film K3G, he’ll love you.’” William agreed, saying: “Okay got it, I’ll mention that too when I see him.”
What is happening at the Earthshot Prize in India?
The Earthshot Prize Summit will bring together people from across business, environmental innovation, funding and community organisations for two days of discussions and collaboration. The aim is to connect promising environmental projects with the resources and partnerships they need to grow.
The summit will lead up to the sixth Earthshot Prize Awards Night on November 17, 2026. Fifteen finalists will be recognised, with five winners set to receive £1 million each to help develop and expand their solutions. The initiative focuses on supporting ideas that can make a meaningful difference to the planet.
Karan Johar’s upcoming projects
Away from his Earthshot Prize work, Johar has several projects keeping him busy. His celebrity chat show Koffee with Karan is nearing the end of its run. Following the premiere of season 9 with Salman Khan, Vijay Deverakonda and Rashmika Mandanna are also set to appear on the show while promoting their film Ranabaali.
Meanwhile, the filmmaker also unveiled Student of the Year – After Dark, a new take on the Student of the Year franchise featuring Shanaya Kapoor. The series is scheduled to stream on JioHotstar from November 13, 2026.