As the Cannes Film Festival 2025 unfolds, Karan Johar has shared a surprising anecdote from his early experiences at the prestigious event. He recounted how his father, the late Yash Johar, took Kabhi Khushi Kabhie Gham (K3G) to the Cannes market in 2002, a move that seemed unusual at the time.

According to Karan Johar, the Cannes organizers had initially expressed interest in having Kabhi Khushi Kabhie Gham premiere at the festival. However, plans changed, and Sanjay Leela Bhansali's Devdas was chosen instead. Undeterred, Yash Johar decided to set up a stall at the Cannes market to sell K3G.

Karan Johar recalled his father standing alone at the stall for ten days. While Karan was absorbed in the cinematic glamour of Cannes, watching movies and attending the Devdas screening, his father focused on business. Eventually, Yash Johar managed to sell Kabhi Khushi Kabhie Gham to a "very kind gentleman" named Stephan from Germany for $5000 for all of Europe. Karan admitted he questioned his father's decision at the time, asking why he sold it for so little. Yash Johar simply replied, "Kya pata kuch hojaye… but this is the only sale we made in those 10 days".

That modest deal, however, had unforeseen consequences. Karan Johar revealed that this sale paved the way for Shah Rukh Khan's immense popularity in Germany. Kabhi Khushi Kabhie Gham was translated to Ka Familienne in French and had a successful release. All of Shah Rukh Khan's subsequent films gained a strong fan base there. Karan Johar noted that this single $5000 sale initiated a journey his father couldn't have imagined, leading to something far greater, especially for Shah Rukh Khan's stardom in Europe.

The film, directed by Karan Johar and produced by Yash Johar, featured a star-studded cast, including Amitabh Bachchan, Jaya Bachchan, Shah Rukh Khan, Kajol, Hrithik Roshan, and Kareena Kapoor. Kabhi Khushi Kabhie Gham is a family-drama that explores themes of love, family values, and reconciliation.

Interestingly, before its release in 2001, Kabhi Khushi Kabhie Gham faced its share of challenges. Karan Johar's second directorial project went over budget by approximately Rs 30 crore and initially had no buyers. According to reports, Aamir Khan even disliked the film. Despite these obstacles, the film became a major commercial success both in India and internationally, grossing Rs 77.29 crore in India and Rs 42 crore overseas. Worldwide, the film grossed Rs 119 crore and became the highest-grossing film in the overseas market that year.

Karan Johar has also addressed criticisms regarding his production house, Dharma Productions. He expressed disappointment that films backed by Dharma, such as Homebound, sometimes receive less recognition compared to other films, even when selected for prestigious festivals like Cannes. Homebound, directed by Neeraj Ghaywan and starring Ishaan Khatter, Vishal Jethwa, and Janhvi Kapoor, premiered at Cannes 2025 in the 'Un Certain Regard' section. Legendary filmmaker Martin Scorsese is also on board as an executive producer for the film.