Karan Johar Calls Talent Management a ‘Thankless Job,’ Says Actors Are ‘Insecure’

Filmmaker and producer Karan Johar has candidly addressed what he describes as a growing culture of insecurity and shifting loyalties within the Hindi film industry. Speaking in a recent interview with Sarthak Ahuja, Johar reflected on the challenges of running a talent management agency and why, in his view, long-term loyalty has become rare in show business.

Johar co-owns Dharma Cornerstone Artist Agency (DCAA), the talent arm associated with his production banner. His remarks come months after actor Janhvi Kapoor exited DCAA and joined Collective Artists Network.

Without naming individuals, Johar said that frequent agency changes have become commonplace.

Every two years, people are shifting from one agency to another because they are so insecure that they feel we are time-bound. Nobody is loyal in this business; actors just keep hopping and skipping. So you put two years of your life into a talent and they suddenly move somewhere else — and then they don’t like it there and want to come back. This is a vicious circle.

‘Talent Management Is a Thankless Job’

Johar described talent management as far more complex than contract negotiations or deal-making. According to him, the work largely revolves around navigating personalities and expectations.

“Ninety percent of this business is about handling people, egos, insecurities and it’s not easy,” he said, adding that entering talent management felt natural to him after decades of working closely with actors.

He also emphasized that approaching talent representation purely as a commercial venture is unlikely to succeed.

If you look at talent management as a business opportunity, nothing is going to happen.

Addressing the business model itself, Johar noted that agencies increasingly seek equity partnerships with artistes, suggesting that commission-based structures alone are no longer sustainable.

Just commission on artists is going to give you nothing because artists are nobodies. They are absolutely nobodies, voh kisi ke nahi hain.

A Changing Industry Landscape

Johar’s comments arrive amid broader shifts in talent representation across the industry. In recent years, several actors have changed agencies, underscoring what he describes as a climate shaped by insecurity and professional uncertainty.

DCAA currently represents actors including Sara Ali Khan, Rohit Saraf, Shanaya Kapoor, Rasha Thadani, Ananya Panday, Tiger Shroff, and Lakshya, among others.

Johar also reflected on his three-decade-long career in cinema, stating that he has learned to detach his personal well-being from professional highs and lows.

After being in the business for 31 years, I have become zen about success and failure because I feel like my joy and sorrow cannot be the result of my success and failure because then I will be in an ICU.

Looking Ahead

Despite his candid assessment of the talent management ecosystem, Johar remains active as a producer and entrepreneur. Under his banner, he continues to back theatrical and streaming projects while managing a growing talent portfolio.

His remarks have sparked conversation within industry circles, particularly regarding evolving business models and the dynamics between actors and representation agencies.