5 min readKochiMay 5, 2026 10:26 PM IST
In a significant move that left his mark on a global stage, renowned filmmaker Karan Johar made his debut at the annual Met Gala on Tuesday, May 5, walking the red carpet in a Manish Malhotra ensemble inspired by the art of Raja Ravi Varma. While the outfit blended regal opulence and contemporary flair, Karan completed the look with his signature swagger and sophistication, capturing attention at the world’s most prestigious and glamorous fashion event.
The filmmaker’s Met Gala entry came a year after his close friend and Bollywood superstar Shah Rukh Khan made his own Met Gala debut in 2025. Although King Khan did not attend the event at the Metropolitan Museum of Art in New York this time, Karan ensured that his presence was felt as he shared heartwarming words about the superstar and his impact on him.
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Expressing that Shah Rukh Khan has played an unparalleled role in shaping his career, Karan Johar noted that it was an overwhelming experience to follow in the superstar’s footsteps at the Met Gala. “For me, it’s so emotional. Shah Rukh is such a large part of my career repertoire. I did 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,” the filmmaker told BBC News.
When Karan Johar called SRK, Aditya Chopra ‘pillars of his life’
Although the son of veteran producer Yash Johar, Karan Johar has often cited Shah Rukh Khan and filmmaker Aditya Chopra as the “pillars” of his life. Interestingly, it was his stint as an assistant director on Aditya’s directorial debut, Dilwale Dulhania Le Jayenge (1995), that marked a turning point in his career. Starring Shah Rukh Khan and Kajol, DDLJ remains one of the most celebrated Indian movies of all time.
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“It was part of my destiny to have met Aditya Chopra and Shah Rukh Khan. Two pillars, two reasons why I sit here today. They acknowledged something about me that I didn’t see in myself. I will always be grateful to them for that. The rest was a lot of just passion… I may have been as sincere as I was. But what happens when you don’t have people who are in powerful positions like that,” Karan noted while addressing an event in New Delhi in 2024.
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He added, “You can make it entirely on your own still because your belief system can be strong enough to combat all odds. But I was fortunate that my struggles came later. My first step was because two people who were not related to me by blood or family believed in me strongly. It has a lot to do with destiny, but nothing happens without hard work.”
‘Fashion is a huge part of my cinema’
Karan Johar walked the Met Gala 2026 red carpet in a sharply tailored black sherwani layered with a dramatic, floor-length cape. The cape was richly detailed with ornate gold embroidery and features vivid, painting-like panels inspired by Raja Ravi Varma, depicting classical Indian figures, palace scenes, and cultural motifs.
Opening up about his relationship with fashion, he told BBC News, “Fashion has been a huge part of my cinema. It’s also a massive hobby of mine, but I’ve tried to integrate fashion through storytelling and characters over the years, through my films. I’m just glad to represent India at the Met, especially when the theme is ‘Fashion is Art.’”
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Karan Johar on his Met Gala 2026 outfit
On the occasion, Karan Johar also took to social media to share more about his ensemble. Karan wrote on Instagram while sharing a few of his photos in the outfit, “Framed In Eternity. Inspired by the art of Raja Ravi Varma. Raja Ravi Varma felt right because his work does something I’ve always tried to do in cinema. He painted feelings. And who better than my oldest partner in crime & fashion to help me bring this to life other than Manish Malhotra. To bring our Indian culture to the global stage with the vision of couture and gratitude woven together, is an art form in itself which he has mastered. You made me feel like a canvas for your art, thank you!”
