&imwidth=800&imheight=600&format=webp&quality=medium "Karan Johar credits Shah Rukh Khan for his Met Gala 2026 debut; here's why")
Karan Johar's debut at the Met Gala 2026 marks a landmark moment in his career as he becomes the first Indian filmmaker to walk on the red carpet. Donning a custom creation by Manish Malhotra, he showcased the beauty of Raja Ravi Varma's work to the world and received praise across the internet.
Karan Johar opens up about SRK
During an interaction with the BBC, Johar opened up about his long-standing relationship with Shah Rukh Khan and revealed that he is the reason for his Met Gala debut. SRK attended the Met Gala the previous year. "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," he said.
Also Read: Met Gala 2026: Karan Johar to Ananya Birla - Indians bring heritage and drama to the red carpet
Johar shares about his outfit
Johar’s look at the event was praised by many. Sharing details about his outfit, he said, "This is, I cannot claim too much involvement. It’s been designed by one of the most famous Indian designers, Manish Malhotra, who is also my best friend. Styled by one of my dear friends, Eka Lakhani, and it’s a homage to one of the most famous Indian artists called Raja Ravi Varma. You know, his work is very, very celebrated, and this outfit is a dedication, homage and tribute to his glorious work."
The filmmaker also highlighted how fashion and cinema are connected. "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, and I’m just glad to represent India at the Met, especially when the theme is fashion is art," he added.
SRK-Johar on-screen collaboration
Johar and Shah Rukh Khan first collaborated in filmmaker's directorial debut Kuch Kuch Hota Hai, and since then have given multiple iconic films, including Kabhi Khushi Kabhie Gham, Kabhi Alvida Naa Kehna, and My Name Is Khan.
