Karan Johar says no one wants to be a 'wannabe celebrity' anymore

Indian filmmaker Karan Johar appeared on a podcast alongside his brand manager Shravan Satyani to discuss the vision behind his jewellery brand Tyanni. During the conversation, Johar discussed how individuality and emotion are reshaping the way younger generations approach fashion and films.

The filmmaker argued that audiences in India are moving away from celebrity influence and are now more focused on developing their own personal style rather than copying stars. “Earlier, there used to be a gold standard that Bollywood had worn it. Now, there is a certain attitude about that too. People are like, 'Why should I wear this? Kareena has already worn it or Alia Bhatt and Deepika Padukone have already worn it.'”

He added that people no longer want to be seen as “copycat” versions of celebrities. “They don’t want to wear the same thing because they don’t want to come across as someone copying a Bollywood star. Nobody wants to look like a wannabe version of a celebrity anymore. Everybody is seeking individuality.” he said.

Johar also discussed how this shift is important for his jewellery brand, saying younger consumers are now more emotionally driven and value experiences and memories over expensive fashion purchases. “When a brand like Tyanni steps in, it has to do with vanity. Vanity is a big compliment today, dominantly because of social media.”

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Further, he argued that modern brides, too, are prioritising experiences over extravagant outfits and jewellery. “Now a bride wants to wear a lesser costume but have a massive wedding. She does not want to spend 2.5 million on a lengha and maybe 0.5 to 1 million on jewellery but put that extra focus on the experience.”

Johar said that Tyanni does just that, “Our price points are superb. Gives higher impact at lower cost. If something massive at Tyanni costs X, at any other jewellery brand it is X into five.”

The filmmaker also reflected on how the COVID-19 pandemic changed consumer behaviour, noting that families now think more carefully about how they spend money on celebrations such as weddings and Diwali.

Giving an example, he said that when he takes his children to the cinema, he notices how quickly expenses add up. “The price of ticket and refreshments add up and the average spend I have for that outing is Rs10,00," he said, adding that costs rise even further if dinner at an upscale restaurant is included.

“So now I am not going to the movies, I am dividing that money into two separate things: a great meal and a great holiday,” Johar said.

He also observed that affordable fashion brands are outperforming luxury retail. “Brands that are selling clothes at higher price points are doing well. Retail is suffering. Nobody is at designer brands at the mall," he said.

The filmmaker also stressed the emotional connection consumers develop with brands, referencing L'Oréal’s famous slogan. “When L'Oréal says, ‘Because you’re worth it,’ it is such a beautiful line." Johar said he hopes Tyanni can create a similar emotional connection with its audience.