Karan Johar made his debut appearance at the Met Gala 2026 earlier today, marking a historic moment as the first Indian filmmaker to attend the prestigious event. For the occasion, he wore a bespoke ensemble by Manish Malhotra, with the design drawing inspiration from the iconic artworks of Raja Ravi Varma.
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In a conversation with BBC at the event, Karan Johar was asked about his close bond with Shah Rukh Khan. With SRK having attended the Met Gala last year and Johar making his debut this year, the director was asked about how it felt to follow in his footsteps. His response was warm and heartfelt, reflecting the enduring, decades-long friendship he shares with the King of Bollywood.
Karan Johar is all praises for SRK
Highlighting their decades-long relationship and creative partnership, Karan Johar reflected on the warmth of his friendship with Shah Rukh Khan, noting that the superstar played a pivotal role in shaping his early years as a filmmaker. He added that he may not have been standing there at the Met Gala without SRK’s contribution, calling the moment deeply full circle.
He said, “Well, for me it’s so emotional. Shah Rukh is such a large part of my career repertoire. I’ve done my first five films with him and he’s the reason I stand here today. So for him to have come last year and me this year, it’s like life feels like a complete circle.”
Karan Johar and Shah Rukh Khan share one of Bollywood’s most enduring and successful creative partnerships, a collaboration that helped shape the tone of mainstream Hindi cinema in the late ’90s and 2000s. Their association began with Johar’s directorial debut, Kuch Kuch Hota Hai, and continued through a string of defining films such as Kabhi Khushi Kabhie Gham, Kabhi Alvida Naa Kehna, and My Name Is Khan.
Beyond their professional synergy, their bond extends into a deeply personal friendship – often visible in SRK’s appearances on Johar’s talk show, Koffee with Karan, where their candid conversations reflect years of mutual trust and camaraderie. Johar has frequently described Shah Rukh as his closest friend in the industry, even likening him to family.
Karan Johar on fashion
In the same interview, Johar also underscored the integral role fashion has played in his cinema. Beyond being a personal passion, he described it as a crucial storytelling device – one that helps shape characters, define their journeys, and add visual depth to his narratives.
He said, “Fashion has been a huge part of my cinema. It’s also a massive hobby of mine, but I’ve also tried to integrate fashion through storytelling and through characters through the years and through my films. I’m just glad to represent India at the Met, especially when the theme is ‘Fashion is Art’.”
Karan Johar’s Met Gala debut
Karan Johar made a striking debut at this year’s Met Gala 2026, wearing a lavish creation by Manish Malhotra titled “Framed in Eternity.” Fully embracing the theme “Fashion is Art,” the ensemble transformed the works of Raja Ravi Varma into a moving, wearable tapestry. As Johar explained on Instagram, “Raja Ravi Varma felt right because his work does something I’ve always tried to do in cinema. He painted feelings.”
The look featured a power-shouldered vintage jacket layered over a hand-painted cape measuring approximately six feet in length, brought to life by over 80 artisans across 85 days. Styled by Eka Lakhani, the ensemble drew directly from Varma’s iconic works, including Lady with the Peach, Hamsa Damayanti, Kadambari, Arjuna and Subhadra, and There Comes Papa, weaving them into a richly detailed visual narrative.