Karan Johar to also make Public-Interest films

By Subhash K. Jha Bollywood Hungama News Network

The entire music video from Karan Johar's Dharma Productions featuring young A-listers from Hollywood asking the young in India to vote was put together in two days flat.

"And that included Salim's (of Salim-Suleiman) background music," said Karan proudly.

On Thursday, stars beginning with Abhishek Bachchan and Karan Johar himself, trooped into the studio to have their say on camera.

Karan was delighted. "I had to do nothing except pick up the phone and ask everyone to come and record their message for the young. I was surprised by how readily and quickly they took time off from their busy schedules for this public-interest broadcast."

And now Karan Johar has discovered a new passion. He wants to now produce informative profit-free short films for television that would subscribe ways to achieve an improvement in the quality of our life.

Karan Johar's entire music video urging the youngsters of the country to vote was put together in two days and considering it stars every 32-minus A-lister from Kareena Kapoor to Abhishek Bachchan, that's no mean achievement.

"The credit for the music video must go to Imran Khan," says Karan Johar who has been shooting non-stop with Shah Rukh Khan and Kajol for My Name Is Khan. "I had gone to meet Imran for a film when he brought up the idea of a video on voting. His enthusiasm rubbed off on me. I got together with Mukul Deora, called up my writer-friend Niranjan Iyenger to write the script and asked my Dostana director and friend Tarun Mansukhani to direct it. And we were ready."

Karan will now be looking at other public-interest films where he can use his connections in Bollywood for purposes other than entertainment.

"The vote-youth video made me realize the importance of reaching out to the public. Considering we're going through a global economic recession and other major problems it is very important for the young to be mobilized into casting their votes to elect correct leaders. Similarly there're other areas where I think my contacts could come in handy."

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