Mahesh Bhatt praises Karan Johar for opening up on ‘intolerance’, says he should be ready for flak

Noted film-maker Mahesh Bhatt while appreciating Karan Johar on Friday for his bold statement on “intolerance” in India warned that the producer should now be ready to face the backlashes his comments will trigger.

“I think it’s very brave of Karan to say. He is a public figure; he is a big star and he knows that he would have a big backlash because of this. Because he has learnt from what happened to Shah Rukh, what happened to Aamir. In spite of that if he had said this; I think it’s very brave of him,” Bhatt told CNN-IBN. “Now it is Karan’s turn to listen to views, which he loathes because that is also a part of mature democracy that you allow the other person who thinks completely different from you.””

Earlier in the day questioning how liberal India’s democracy actually is, Johar went ahead to say it is a “tough country” to survive while interacting with the audience at the ongoing Jaipur Literature Festival. With his comments on “intolerance”, the film-maker now joins the bandwagon of Shah Rukh Khan and Aamir Khan.

Bhatt feels that all contradictory views should be equally respected.

“Is it not possible for us to have two railway tracks run simultaneously side by side? Walk together, not necessary agreeing with each other but respecting each other, being sensitive to each other. I think that is possible. I think governance should create such an environment, where such an India really blooms,” Bhatt said.