Archive · 20 Nov 2025
Karan Johar's Voice Training: A Struggle with Perceived Effeminacy
Karan Johar, a famous film director, talked about how he took voice and walking classes for three years when he was a teenager.
He did this because he thought his voice and the way he walked were too feminine, and he wanted to sound and act more like a man.
He didn't tell his dad about the classes because he felt ashamed and scared.
This was a long time ago, and people didn't talk about these things as much as they do now.
Karan Johar took voice-coaching classes for three years to sound less effeminate
He hid the classes from his father, Yash Johar, due to shame and fear
The coaching also included training to walk and run in a more masculine way
Karan felt pressured to take the classes due to lack of awareness and inclusivity in 1989
He almost got caught in his lie when his father asked him to use a computer
- Who
- Karan Johar
- What
- Took voice and walking classes to sound and act more masculine
- When
- At the age of 15, for three years
- Where
- In India, at a coaching academy
- Why
- Due to societal pressure and lack of inclusivity, he felt he needed to change his voice and mannerisms
Those who support Karan's decision
Those who question the need for such classes
Societal pressure
Those who support Karan's decision
Karan felt pressured to change due to societal norms and lack of inclusivity
Those who question the need for such classes
It's important to challenge and change these norms, not conform to them
Self-acceptance
Those who support Karan's decision
Karan should have accepted and embraced his natural self
Those who question the need for such classes
He was young and influenced by societal expectations
- Age when started classes
- 15
- Duration of classes
- 3 years
- Frequency of classes
- Thrice a week, 2 hours each
- Father's occupation
- Producer (late Yash Johar)
- Year of the incident
- 1989
Sources
‘I walked and talked like a girl’: Karan Johar recalls he wanted to ‘sound like a man’, hid his 3-year voice training coaching from father
Karan Johar Says His Fashion Choices Changed After ‘Things Were Said’ About Him At Kids Yash-Roohi’s School
Karan Johar Lied To His Father To Pursue Course To Make His "Girl-Like" Voice "Sound More Like A Man"
