In a candid revelation on a recent podcast, celebrated Bollywood filmmaker Karan Johar has shared intimate details of his lifelong struggle with weight, directly addressing the persistent rumours about his dramatic physical transformation. The 53-year-old director-producer firmly denied using the drug Ozempic for weight loss and recounted painful memories from his youth, including his mother's blunt remarks about his size.
The Ozempic Speculation and the Real Reason for Weight Loss
Karan Johar's slimmer appearance last year sparked widespread speculation on social media, with many netizens suggesting he had turned to the popular weight-loss medication Ozempic. Johar categorically dismissed these claims during his podcast appearance. He explained that his significant weight loss was the result of a medical discovery made during a visit to the VIVAMAYR health resort.
"Contrary to what people think, that I took Ozempic or whatever, I am quite not," Johar stated. He underwent a kinesiology test which revealed he was acutely gluten and lactose intolerant. This was a surprise to him, as he had been consuming roti regularly, unaware that rice and potato were better suited for his body. Furthermore, he discovered his thyroid levels were unstable and he was subsequently put on medication for it.
"I always used to wonder that I am doing whatever I can to lose weight but it’s just not happening," he shared. By completely removing gluten, switching to alternatives like almond milk, and cutting out sugar, combined with the thyroid treatment, his weight began to drop. He admitted he now needs to incorporate a consistent workout routine, currently swimming and playing paddle ball.
College Trauma and Mother's 'Punjabi' Honesty
Johar traced his body image issues back to his college days. He recalled that the transition from school uniforms to coloured clothes in college was a shock. "You reach college and you see everyone is way thinner than you. Somehow, that really shook me up," he said. This triggered his first attempt at dieting, which led to extreme measures.
He also opened up about the contrasting attitudes of his parents. While his late father, producer Yash Johar, was supportive and even harboured dreams of him becoming a film hero, his mother Hiroo Johar was brutally honest. "My dad was in delusion land about me... But, my mother used to disagree and say, 'What are you saying, Yash? He is so fat, so large,'" Johar recalled. He added with a touch of humour, "Punjabi moms are not always deluded."
Dangerous Diets and a Fainting Spell
The filmmaker detailed his history with extreme and often unhealthy diets. He repeatedly tried the General Motors diet, once following it for a month until he fell sick. His most dangerous experience was with the high-protein Atkins diet during his college years.
"I still remember that I was in my Accounts class during college. I fainted in that class because I was on this diet," Johar revealed. The incident, which involved a regimen of eating only protein like nine-egg cheese omelettes and fried chicken, was so severe that his mother banned the diet after discovering it. "That was the end of that diet," he said.
Throughout the conversation, Johar emphasized the difficulty of maintaining a regimented lifestyle in the erratic, high-stress world of filmmaking, where weekends and holidays are often nonexistent. His journey highlights a move away from drastic fad diets to a more sustainable, health-focused approach based on medical understanding.
