Karan Johar says his "reputation and upbringing" don't allow him to comment on the controversy that sparked after actor Ajay Devgn released an audio of self-styled critic KRK claming the director paid him to praise his upcoming film "Ae Dil Hai Mushkil".
Devgn, whose "Shivaay" is clashing with "Ae Dil Hai Mushkil" at the box-office next month, released last evening the audio conversation of KRK and "Shivaay" producer Kumar Mangat.
He also issued a statement saying he demanded an ivestigation whether Johar was involved in this or not.
Johar, breaking his silence over the row, today said he wouldn't want to react on it.
"My self respect, reputation, company reputation, upbringing doesn't allow me to dignify this question with a response," the 44-year-old filmmaker said at "Express Adda", a freewheeling dialogue with newsmakers, in an informal setting.
Earlier this evening, KRK held a press conference in Mumbai, where he denied taking money from Johar, and said he was being made a scapegoat and Devgn is using his name to "target Karan Johar".
Devgn, on his part, has issued a new statement now, in which the actor said he only wanted to make people aware of swhat KRK had said in the audio.
"We have only made you aware of what KRK has said. KRK is contradicting himself in explanations about what he has said in the recording and what we all have just heard in his postured press conference," his statement read.
"He has not denied that it was his voice in the recording and he is now making excuses and contradicting himself. Where is the sanity here? You have heard what I have heard. It is up to you all to decide. It's his word against his own word. I have never in my life spoken to nor met this man," Devgn added.
The "My Name is Khan" helmer said he often gets stumped
when people ask him questions regarding the characters in the film, ranging from Shah Rukh's profession to just how easily his character fell in love with Kajol's post interval.
"Somebody asked me what was the profession of Shah Rukh in the film and I had no idea! I said he had a business. The man asked, what kind of business he had that he had so much time to go to a summer camp for one month?"
"Once Shabana (Azmi) ji called me after watching the film and said, 'What is this, when she was not beautiful, love didn't happen, but the moment she turned beautiful, wore saree, grew long hair, love happened? What do you want to say?' I just said 'Sorry. I have no justification'," he said.
Johar said same is the case with his multi-starrer "Kabhi Khushi Kabhie Gham" which featured megastar Amitabh Bachchan, Jaya Bachchan, Shah Rukh, Kajol, Hrithik Roshan and Kareena Kapoor.
The director said he thought he was making a "Ramayan of family films", but the film followed a similar pattern of "Kuch Kuch Hota Hai".
"If you watch 'Kabhi Khushi...' it is the exact same format of 'Kuch Kuch...' The way it starts, from flashback, then the interval point. In fact, Hrithik Roshan is the baby Sanah of 'Kuch Kuch...," he said.
"It is the same screenplay, which I realised much later. That time I thought I was making epic, Ramayan of family films but is the same story of 'Kuch Kuch Hota Hai'," he added.
