'Dhadak' is Shashank Khaitan's best film, says Karan Johar

Mumbai: Director-producer Karan Johar who is happy with the success of his recently-released film "Dhadak", on Thursday praised filmmaker Shashank Khaitan saying that this is the best film that he has directed till date.

Johar was interacting with media at success meet of "Dhadak" along with film's actors Ishaan Khatter, Janhvi Kapoor and director Khaitan.

Asked what was his reaction after watching "Dhadak", he said: "When Shashank told me that he wants to remake (Marathi film) 'Sairat', I was bit scared because that film has its own individuality. The kind of tone that filmmaker (Nagraj Manjule) has been able to hold is very difficult to capture but confidence of Shashank is very infectious so, when we decided to make the film, I know it had to be with new talent.

"When I saw end of 'Dhadak', it made me shake a little bit but when I again watched it, I felt Shashank has done an exceptional job in adapting the source material."

Praising Khaitan further, Johar added: "He has taken lot of sequences from the original one but he made a new film and characters for pan India audience. It his third film as a director but in all three films that Shashank made, I think 'Dhadak' is his best film directorially.

"There are certain scenes where he has tried to take extra pauses and also added energy from his side. He has been very graphic, intelligent, strategic & emotional. As a director myself, I feel this combination is very rare to achieve so, I am very proud of him."

Asked whether he was nervous when his production house decided to remake the Marathi film in Hindi, Johar said: "I wasn't nervous, I was petrified and I still am because I think every time, you touch piece of art and recreate or adapt it, there is always monumental fear but I never looked at it like that. I have always said that this film is not anywhere meant to be compared with 'Sairat'.

"It's fan boy's homage to original source material so, if making 'Dhadak' is wrong, then every fan in the world is also wrong who appreciate great piece of art. In fact, I see so many people going back to watch 'Sairat' after they have seen 'Dhadak' and that is an achievement of homage. You cannot ever compete with brilliance of that filmmaker because he conceived it, wrote it and executed it so, we are just big fan of that film."

"Dhadak" has managed to mint a total of RS. 48.01 crore at the end of 6th day since its release and is expected to cross Rs 50 crore mark soon.