Karan Johar opens up about his body dysmorphia, ‘mujhe khud se ghin…’

In the glitzy and glamorous world of Bollywood, where everything is about showbiz, staying fit and youthful is not a choice; it’s a necessity. However, while many celebrities immerse themselves in rigorous workout regimens to look a certain way but their concern about public appearance goes hand-in-hand. One such celebrity who’s always in the public eye, whether it’s for his transformative look or celebrated film direction, is Karan Johar.

Opening his heart out in a podcast, the celebrated filmmaker shares about his battle with body-image issues. Confiding in the conversation with Raj Shamani, the 52-year-old reveals that he has been the victim of body dysmorphia – a psychological disorder in which an individual becomes fixated with perceived defects or flaws in their looks. “I have always been battling the bulge”, he shares, recounting his experience with countless diets and workout routines.

Speaking more about combating this issue, Karan shares, “After 52 years, I finally feel confident. Otherwise, I do suffer from body dysmorphia. It’s when you feel ashamed of your own body. When you feel awkward without clothes on. I go through that even now. I can’t even look at myself in the mirror.” He further shares that not even once has he gone to a sauna or such places where people are around. “Jab main swimming jaata tha, main jaldi towel nikal kar andar ghus jaata tha taaki koi mujhe na dekhe” (When I used to go swimming, I would quickly wrap myself in a towel and rush to cover up so that no one would see me). He adds, “Mujhe ghin aati hai apne ko dekhar bina kapdo ke” [I cringe at looking at myself without clothes].

Further complicating his struggle, Johar mentioned that only recently did he learn he was suffering from thyroid problems, which had been compromising his health and weight up until then. After getting blood checked, he learned that some issues below the surface required medical care. “It was just the other day, after all these years, when I got my blood checked, and I realised I had certain thyroid problems and other issues I needed to repair. I have been trying to get them repaired,” he described.

This is not the first time that Karan has come into the public eye for his weight. Recently, Karan Johar went through a dramatic wight loss that quickly spiraled rumours of him using Ozempic and Mounjaro, “Now people say to me, ‘Are you on Mounjaro? Are you on Ozempic?’ I am sick of these remarks. People don’t know my reality. You don’t know,” he said sternly.

Coming a long way in his journey, Karan Johar expresses his joy of feeling happier in his skin now. “Long story short, I know that I am very healthy. I’ve never felt lighter, never felt better. I’ve never, ever felt more confident in my skin and that gives me nothing but joy,” he concluded.

Karan’s journey is a reminder that physical transformation isn’t just about the aesthetic, but it’s more about overall wellbeing and, most importantly, feeling good in your skin. 

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