Karan Johar recalls questioning Shah Rukh Khan’s jeans on DDLJ sets — SRK went straight to Aditya Chopra, ‘Yeh kaun hai’

Karan Johar recently revisited an early, little-known moment from his career—one that involved fashion advice, denim, and a young Shah Rukh Khan on the sets of Dilwale Dulhania Le Jayenge.

Speaking in an interview with Anupama Chopra for The Hollywood Reporter India, Karan reflected on how his long-standing interest in fashion began influencing Hindi cinema much earlier than people realise. At the time, Johar was an assistant director on the 1995 blockbuster and was unexpectedly asked to look after Shah Rukh Khan’s wardrobe.

Recalling their first interaction, Karan said the conversation began with the fit of SRK’s jeans. He remembered that the actor preferred Wrangler at the time, prompting him to suggest a switch. “Can I give you a better silhouette,” Karan recalled telling him. The suggestion caught Shah Rukh off guard. As Karan recounted, SRK went straight to Aditya Chopra and asked, “Yeh kaun hai aur kya bol raha hai? Jeans ke bare main baat kar raha hai.”

This anecdote, Karan noted, later became a turning point—one he has shared before. In an earlier appearance on The Manyavar Shaadi Show, Johar said Aditya Chopra defended him by telling SRK, “Yeh South Bombay se aaya hai… inn logon ko pata hota hai.” Karan added that Levi’s soon replaced Wrangler in SRK’s wardrobe. “They’ll just fit you better and give you a better silhouette,” he said, adding with a smile, “Now he has developed such a strong opinion on denim.”

Beyond personal memories, Karan also traced how Hindi cinema shaped everyday fashion across decades. Reflecting on costume trends, he said, “The late ‘60s is the most stylish, fashionable clothing that you will see,” while dismissing the ’80s as visually jarring. He pointed to films like Hum Aapke Hain Koun..!, Maine Pyar Kiya, Rangeela and Dil To Pagal Hai as milestones that made on-screen fashion aspirational yet wearable.

Johar credited Manish Malhotra with changing the game in the 1990s, noting that iconic outfits from Kal Ho Naa Ho and Kabhi Khushi Kabhie Gham are still in demand today. “I think sangeet happened because of cinema,” he said, underlining how films influenced real-life celebrations.

The filmmaker also spoke about sourcing costumes internationally for Kuch Kuch Hota Hai, recalling how his father doubted those choices. “He thought I was mad,” Karan said, explaining that many outfits—like the Gap jumpsuit and Polo Sport T-shirt—weren’t even designed for mainstream wear.

On what happens after the cameras stop rolling, Johar revealed that most costumes are stored and reused. “The saris go into our godown,” he said, adding that while iconic looks are preserved, much of the wardrobe quietly reappears in other films.