Prince William Calls Karan Johar an ‘Icon’, Says He Wants to Watch His Classic Film K3G
Prince William has praised Bollywood filmmaker Karan Johar, calling him an “icon” and appreciating his efforts to help the Earthshot Prize strengthen its connection with India. The Prince of Wales also expressed his interest in watching Johar’s popular film Kabhi Khushi Kabhie Gham, widely known as K3G.
Karan Johar recently met Prince William in London during an Earthshot Prize event, where the filmmaker’s contribution to promoting the initiative in India was discussed.
The Earthshot Prize is a global environmental initiative founded by Prince William and The Royal Foundation to recognise and support innovative solutions to environmental challenges.
During a conversation with a journalist, Prince William was asked about his meeting with Karan Johar, who was introduced as one of Bollywood’s leading filmmakers.
Describing the meeting as a positive experience, Prince William said, “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.”
He added that the initiative aimed to develop a stronger connection with the country, saying, “We want to make it a truly Indian Earthshot Prize. It’s the biggest one we’ve done.”
Before making these remarks, Prince William also described Johar as “modest” while discussing the filmmaker’s involvement in the initiative.
During the interaction, the journalist asked Prince William whether he had watched any of Karan Johar’s films, noting that several of the filmmaker’s works are considered Bollywood classics and are familiar to audiences in Britain.
Prince William 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 then recommended Kabhi Khushi Kabhie Gham, popularly known as K3G, and suggested that William tell Johar he planned to watch the film the next time they met.
Prince William agreed, saying, “Okay got it, I’ll mention that too when I see him.”
Released in 2001, Kabhi Khushi Kabhie Gham remains one of Karan Johar’s best-known films, featuring an ensemble cast and a story centred on family relationships.
The Earthshot Prize is being held in India for the first time. The two-day summit will conclude with the award ceremony on November 17, 2026.
Prince William has expressed his ambition to make the initiative more closely connected with India, with Karan Johar contributing to efforts to strengthen its presence in the country.
Meanwhile, Karan Johar is also associated with several entertainment projects. His popular talk show Koffee with Karan is reportedly heading towards its final season, with Salman Khan featuring in the opening episode. The two discussed changes in the Hindi film industry.
Actors Vijay Deverakonda and Rashmika Mandanna are also set to appear on the show while promoting their recently released film Ranabaali.
Johar has additionally announced Student of the Year After Dark, a darker take on the Student of the Year franchise featuring Shanaya Kapoor. The series is scheduled to stream on JioHotstar from November 13, 2026.
Announcing the project, Johar wrote that the franchise was embarking on a new journey as it completed 14 years, describing the upcoming series as “gritty, gory, unabashed and absolute madness”.
With Prince William expressing an interest in watching K3G, the interaction has brought renewed attention to Karan Johar’s celebrated filmography and his involvement in the Earthshot Prize initiative in India.
