Bollywood producer and director Karan Johar is undoubtedly one of the most influential names in the industry. Known for his close friendships with some of the biggest stars, and responsible for launching the careers of many, Johar is the ultimate Bollywood insider — a position he's turned to his advantage in the hugely successful long-running talk show Koffee With Karan.
So when he turned 50 on Wednesday, Johar celebrated the milestone with the biggest stars of Bollywood in tow. The party, at Mumbai's Yash Raj Studios, was predictably grand in scale, dubbed "big fat Bollywood birthday party" by the Indian media.
Close friend and celebrity interior designer Gauri Khan, the wife of superstar Shah Rukh Khan, was the first to celebrate with Johar at his home on Tuesday night. Posting a video on Instagram, Khan called him "the one and only".
"It’s the little things you do and say that make you the person you are. You listen and make everything right. Thank you for bringing so much love and laughter into all our lives. Best birthday wishes from my family to yours … love you," she posted.
At the Yash Raj Studios party themed "Black and Bling", Johar wore a glittery green jacket by Dolce & Gabbana accessorised with a bow tie and a pair of statement glasses. He called the look "Christmas tree chic" and posed for pictures with some of his celebrity pals, including Rani Mukerji, who starred in Johar's hugely successful 1998 film Kuch Kuch Hota Hai, along with Kajol and Shah Rukh Khan.
While Shah Rukh Khan did not attend the party, Kajol was there to celebrate with Johar, sharing many pictures on her Instagram account.
"All teeth, smiles and glitter. Happy happy birthday @karanjohar. Love u," she captioned one photo.
Some of Johar's oldest friends were in attendance, including Aishwarya Rai Bachchan and her husband Abhishek Bachchan, Abhishek's sister, Shweta Bachchan-Nanda, director Farah Khan Kunder and fashion designer Manish Malhotra.
Malhotra, a favourite with Bollywood stars, dressed many of those in attendance, including Tabu, Madhuri Dixit Nene and Janhvi Kapoor.
Kapoor, the daughter of late Bollywood star Sridevi, and now an actress herself, was among the new generation of stars at the bash. Shanaya Kapoor, who Johar is set to launch through his production house, was at the event along with young actors Ananya Panday and Sara Ali Khan, who arrived with her brother Ibrahim Ali Khan, who is rumoured to be making his film debut soon.
Sara and Ibrahim are the children of actor Saif Ali Khan, who was also in attendance, along with his wife, film star Kareena Kapoor Khan. Other couples included Vicky Kaushal and Katrina Kaif, who married in December last year, Shahid and Mira Kapoor, Preity Zinta and Gene Goodenough, Genelia and Riteish Deshmukh, and Neha and Angad Bedi.
Newly married Ranbir Kapoor, whose wife Alia Bhatt is currently shooting in Los Angeles for her debut Hollywood film Heart of Stone, attended along with his mother, actress Neetu Kapoor.
A couple of stars arrived alone, including Salman Khan, Rajkummar Rao, Siddhant Chaturvedi, Ishaan Khatter, Sidharth Malhotra and Ranveer Singh, whose wife, Deepika Padukone, is currently on jury duty at the Cannes Film Festival.
Actors Raveena Tandon, Juhi Chawla, Sonali Bendre and Twinkle Khanna were also at the party.
"I am overwhelmed with the love and blessings but that didn’t stop me for being a serial poser, pouter and preener," Johar posted on Instagram.
Johar also announced the release date for his next directorial, Rocky aur Rani ki Prem Kahani, starring Singh and Bhatt in the lead, which is set for February 10, 2023. Known for his romantic dramas, the director also said he will helm his first action movie, to begin filming in April 2023.
"The one aspect that I believe I am most passionate about is being a filmmaker," he said.
Zayed Sustainability Prize
Key findings of Jenkins report
- Founder of the Muslim Brotherhood, Hassan al Banna, "accepted the political utility of violence"
- Views of key Muslim Brotherhood ideologue, Sayyid Qutb, have “consistently been understood” as permitting “the use of extreme violence in the pursuit of the perfect Islamic society” and “never been institutionally disowned” by the movement.
- Muslim Brotherhood at all levels has repeatedly defended Hamas attacks against Israel, including the use of suicide bombers and the killing of civilians.
- Laying out the report in the House of Commons, David Cameron told MPs: "The main findings of the review support the conclusion that membership of, association with, or influence by the Muslim Brotherhood should be considered as a possible indicator of extremism."
The specs
Engine: 4.0-litre V8 twin-turbocharged and three electric motors
Power: Combined output 920hp
Torque: 730Nm at 4,000-7,000rpm
Transmission: 8-speed dual-clutch automatic
Fuel consumption: 11.2L/100km
On sale: Now, deliveries expected later in 2025
Price: expected to start at Dh1,432,000
Company profile
Company: Eighty6
Date started: October 2021
Founders: Abdul Kader Saadi and Anwar Nusseibeh
Based: Dubai, UAE
Sector: Hospitality
Size: 25 employees
Funding stage: Pre-series A
Investment: $1 million
Investors: Seed funding, angel investors
Some of Darwish's last words
"They see their tomorrows slipping out of their reach. And though it seems to them that everything outside this reality is heaven, yet they do not want to go to that heaven. They stay, because they are afflicted with hope." - Mahmoud Darwish, to attendees of the Palestine Festival of Literature, 2008
His life in brief: Born in a village near Galilee, he lived in exile for most of his life and started writing poetry after high school. He was arrested several times by Israel for what were deemed to be inciteful poems. Most of his work focused on the love and yearning for his homeland, and he was regarded the Palestinian poet of resistance. Over the course of his life, he published more than 30 poetry collections and books of prose, with his work translated into more than 20 languages. Many of his poems were set to music by Arab composers, most significantly Marcel Khalife. Darwish died on August 9, 2008 after undergoing heart surgery in the United States. He was later buried in Ramallah where a shrine was erected in his honour.
Key facilities
- Olympic-size swimming pool with a split bulkhead for multi-use configurations, including water polo and 50m/25m training lanes
- Premier League-standard football pitch
- 400m Olympic running track
- NBA-spec basketball court with auditorium
- 600-seat auditorium
- Spaces for historical and cultural exploration
- An elevated football field that doubles as a helipad
- Specialist robotics and science laboratories
- AR and VR-enabled learning centres
- Disruption Lab and Research Centre for developing entrepreneurial skills
Killing of Qassem Suleimani
AUSTRALIA SQUAD
Aaron Finch (captain), Ashton Agar, Alex Carey, Pat Cummins, Glenn Maxwell, Ben McDermott, Kane Richardson, Steve Smith, Billy Stanlake, Mitchell Starc, Ashton Turner, Andrew Tye, David Warner, Adam Zampa
The years Ramadan fell in May
HIJRA
Starring: Lamar Faden, Khairiah Nathmy, Nawaf Al-Dhufairy
Director: Shahad Ameen
Rating: 3/5
Killing of Qassem Suleimani
More from Rashmee Roshan Lall
UAE currency: the story behind the money in your pockets
UAE currency: the story behind the money in your pockets
Farage on Muslim Brotherhood
Nigel Farage told Reform's annual conference that the party will proscribe the Muslim Brotherhood if he becomes Prime Minister.
"We will stop dangerous organisations with links to terrorism operating in our country," he said. "Quite why we've been so gutless about this – both Labour and Conservative – I don't know.
“All across the Middle East, countries have banned and proscribed the Muslim Brotherhood as a dangerous organisation. We will do the very same.”
It is 10 years since a ground-breaking report into the Muslim Brotherhood by Sir John Jenkins.
Among the former diplomat's findings was an assessment that “the use of extreme violence in the pursuit of the perfect Islamic society” has “never been institutionally disowned” by the movement.
The prime minister at the time, David Cameron, who commissioned the report, said membership or association with the Muslim Brotherhood was a "possible indicator of extremism" but it would not be banned.
UAE currency: the story behind the money in your pockets
Huddersfield Town permanent signings:
- Steve Mounie (striker): signed from Montpellier for £11 million
- Tom Ince (winger): signed from Derby County for £7.7m
- Aaron Mooy (midfielder): signed from Manchester City for £7.7m
- Laurent Depoitre (striker): signed from Porto for £3.4m
- Scott Malone (defender): signed from Fulham for £3.3m
- Zanka (defender): signed from Copenhagen for £2.3m
- Elias Kachunga (winger): signed for Ingolstadt for £1.1m
- Danny WIlliams (midfielder): signed from Reading on a free transfer
Killing of Qassem Suleimani
At a glance - Zayed Sustainability Prize 2020
Launched: 2008
Categories: Health, energy, water, food, global high schools
Prize: Dh2.2 million (Dh360,000 for global high schools category)
Winners’ announcement: Monday, January 13
Impact in numbers
335 million people positively impacted by projects
430,000 jobs created
10 million people given access to clean and affordable drinking water
50 million homes powered by renewable energy
6.5 billion litres of water saved
26 million school children given solar lighting
Drivers’ championship standings after Singapore:
1. Lewis Hamilton, Mercedes - 263
2. Sebastian Vettel, Ferrari - 235
3. Valtteri Bottas, Mercedes - 212
4. Daniel Ricciardo, Red Bull - 162
5. Kimi Raikkonen, Ferrari - 138
6. Sergio Perez, Force India - 68
The burning issue
The internal combustion engine is facing a watershed moment – major manufacturer Volvo is to stop producing petroleum-powered vehicles by 2021 and countries in Europe, including the UK, have vowed to ban their sale before 2040. The National takes a look at the story of one of the most successful technologies of the last 100 years and how it has impacted life in the UAE.
Read part four: an affection for classic cars lives on
Read part three: the age of the electric vehicle begins
Read part one: how cars came to the UAE
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The line up
Friday: Giggs, Sho Madjozi and Masego
Saturday: Nas, Lion Bbae, Roxanne Shante and DaniLeigh
Sole DXB runs from December 6 to 8 at Dubai Design District. Weekend pass is Dh295 while a one day pass is Dh195. Tickets are available from www.soledxb.com
KILLING OF QASSEM SULEIMANI
Mohammed bin Zayed Majlis
Arsenal's pre-season fixtures
Thursday Beat Sydney 2-0 in Sydney
Saturday v Western Sydney Wanderers in Sydney
Wednesday v Bayern Munich in Shanghai
July 22 v Chelsea in Beijing
July 29 v Benfica in London
July 30 v Sevilla in London
Takreem Awards winners 2021
Corporate Leadership: Carl Bistany (Lebanon)
Cultural Excellence: Hoor Al Qasimi (UAE)
Environmental Development and Sustainability: Bkerzay (Lebanon)
Environmental Development and Sustainability: Raya Ani (Iraq)
Humanitarian and Civic Services: Women’s Programs Association (Lebanon)
Humanitarian and Civic Services: Osamah Al Thini (Libya)
Excellence in Education: World Innovation Summit for Education (WISE) (Qatar)
Outstanding Arab Woman: Balghis Badri (Sudan)
Scientific and Technological Achievement: Mohamed Slim Alouini (KSA)
Young Entrepreneur: Omar Itani (Lebanon)
Lifetime Achievement: Suad Al Amiry (Palestine)
UAE currency: the story behind the money in your pockets
'Morbius'
Director: Daniel Espinosa
Stars: Jared Leto, Matt Smith, Adria Arjona
Rating: 2/5
The years Ramadan fell in May
MATCH INFO
CAF Champions League semi-finals first-leg fixtures
Tuesday:
Primeiro Agosto (ANG) v Esperance (TUN) (8pm UAE)
Al Ahly (EGY) v Entente Setif (ALG) (11PM)
Second legs:
October 23
COMPANY PROFILE
Name: Xpanceo
Started: 2018
Founders: Roman Axelrod, Valentyn Volkov
Based: Dubai, UAE
Industry: Smart contact lenses, augmented/virtual reality
Funding: $40 million
Investor: Opportunity Venture (Asia)
Britain's travel restrictions
- A negative test 2 days before flying
- Complete passenger locator form
- Book a post-arrival PCR test
- Double-vaccinated must self-isolate
- 11 countries on red list quarantine
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What can victims do?
Always use only regulated platforms
Stop all transactions and communication on suspicion
Save all evidence (screenshots, chat logs, transaction IDs)
Report to local authorities
Warn others to prevent further harm
Courtesy: Crystal Intelligence
More from Neighbourhood Watch:
Zayed Sustainability Prize
What is safeguarding?
“Safeguarding, not just in sport, but in all walks of life, is making sure that policies are put in place that make sure your child is safe; when they attend a football club, a tennis club, that there are welfare officers at clubs who are qualified to a standard to make sure your child is safe in that environment,” Derek Bell explains.
