I felt they were afraid of playing a homosexual man on screen: Karan

Well, who would know who are those A-listed actors who were offered a challenging role of a bisexual played by Fawad Khan? But, we know the major audience would surely take it as, "Good though! At least we got introduced to a talented actor with sleek looks," on whom previously Pakistan couldn't get over and now India.

But, let us hear the story from the producer Karan Johar itself who tried his best to get many actors on board to play this role. He said to a leading daily, "I think it's an extremely bold move by our filmmakers to put it out there. I'm proud of Kapoor & Sons and how Shakun Batra handled the entire story. I think it was told beautifully. But anything in your face, which is extreme like I mentioned, is going to meet with a storm in our enormous teacup. Everyone's running afraid of putting things out there. Because then they become 'less commercial'. K&S was also understated for a reason because we were afraid that if it's too in your face, then it would bother an audience, which I find, is quite unfortunate. I feel as a filmmaker, we must tell stories with abandon. It was liberating for me to direct the first Bombay Talkies short because I spoke about repression in a marriage and homosexuality."

Many A-list actors refused Fawad's part when Karan offered. On this, the filmmaker continued, "Yes, I had offered Fawad's part to six different actors and no one did it. No matter what reasons they gave, I felt they were afraid of playing a homosexual man on screen. Having said that, they had a reason and I didn't judge them for it."

Karan also revealed as to how he takes rejection from actors for his movies. "It's disappointment but never anger. I never hold it against anybody. I think most lead actors in the country have said no to me at some point of time, but eventually, I've worked with all of them. When they refused a role, they just didn't connect to the material at that point," Karan stated.

CREDITS: DNA