Director-producer and fashion icon Karan Johar celebrated his 54th birthday on May 25 with a glamorous star-studded bash hosted by his close friend and ace designer Manish Malhotra. The intimate yet glittering celebration saw Bollywood's biggest names coming together under one roof.
Among those who attended were Kajol, Rani Mukerji, Kareena Kapoor Khan, Karisma Kapoor, Janhvi Kapoor, Sara Ali Khan, Kiara Advani, Sidharth Malhotra, and Shanaya Kapoor. Filmmaker Zoya Akhtar and celebrity stylist Anaita Shroff Adajania also marked their presence.
The guest list further included Ranbir Kapoor, Alia Bhatt and Vicky Kaushal, making the evening one of the most talked-about Bollywood gatherings of the season.
Manish Malhotra later shared exclusive inside pictures from the celebration on his Instagram Stories, giving fans a glimpse into the glamorous evening. One of the viral photos featured the iconic "Kuch Kuch Hota Hai" gang — Karan Johar, Kajol and Rani Mukerji posing together with Manish. Another cosy selfie showed Janhvi Kapoor alongside the designer.
Kiara Advani grabbed attention in a bold, blingy golden outfit with a plunging neckline as she posed with Karan Johar and husband Sidharth Malhotra. Meanwhile, Alia Bhatt and Ranbir Kapoor were seen posing with Vicky Kaushal, the trio who will soon share screen space in Love & War.
Exes under one roof
Well, the chatter online is how several exes found themselves under the same roof. While Sidharth Malhotra and Alia Bhatt, who reportedly dated in the past, attended the bash, they did not pose together. Fans also noticed that though Katrina Kaif skipped the celebration, her husband, Vicky Kaushal, was seen posing with Ranbir Kapoor, Katrina's ex-boyfriend Ranbir Kapoor.
However, many Redditors pointed out that Alia Bhatt is pregnant.
Farah Khan added a dose of humour to Karan Johar's 54th birthday celebrations by sharing a hilarious video teasing the filmmaker about his expensive outfit and glamorous style. The fun banter between Farah and Karan quickly grabbed attention on social media.
Manish Malhotra shared a heartfelt message to wish Karan a happy birthday. Sharing pictures from Karan's debut Met Gala appearance, Manish wrote, "This video is about the showstopper appearance of Karan at The Met Gala 2026, but it also shows our friendship and our comfort of working together for 30 years — many super-hit films, many meals and travels together, and discussions of films and life and all the most important red-carpet appearances. Candid and honest with each other is what we have been. Happy birthday, dearest @karanjohar. I cherish our friendship and we celebrate it every day. Lots and lots of love to you and I wish you only the best."
Manish and Karan Johar's friendship
Earlier, Manish had recalled how he first met Karan on the sets of Gumrah (1993), which was produced by Yash Johar. In an interview with We Are Yuvaa, the designer earlier shared that Sridevi had called him for the film, and whenever he rang Yash Johar with questions, Karan would answer the phone.
Recalling those early exchanges, Manish said Karan once told him, "You never say hi". To which, he replied, "Oh, I'm so sorry. Hi Karan, how are you? Can I speak to Yash ji?" He added that the two later went out for dinner one night, and that was how their friendship began.
Manish has also said that working with a close friend for so many years is rare. He said not many people would feel comfortable telling Karan Johar when something does not work, but added that honesty remains part of their professional relationship.
The two recently shared light-hearted banter on Pitch To Get Rich, where they appeared as investors. Addressing one of the pitching teams, Karan said, "Everyone works hard. In this country, we overdo it. So no points for sincerity and hard work from me, that's basic."
Manish replied, "Karan, you never gave me credit for that either, even though I work hard day and night, especially for your films."
