Karan Johar reacts to Dhadak 2 getting screened at Ivy League universities earning academic recognition

Karan Johar and Dhadak 2

Dhadak 2 has found a meaningful audience far beyond Indian theatres, with special screenings being held at several prestigious Ivy League universities in the United States. The film, produced by Karan Johar's Dharma Productions along with Zee Studios and Cloud 9 Pictures, is being recognised in academic spaces for its exploration of social themes in contemporary Indian cinema.

Dhadak 2 gets screened in Ivy League universities

Starring Siddhant Chaturvedi and Triptii Dimri, the film has already been screened at Brown University and Yale University. Upcoming screenings are scheduled at Columbia University and Princeton University. At Yale, the screening was hosted by the political science department, while Brown showcased the film through its School of International and Public Affairs, highlighting its relevance to discussions around caste, class and systemic inequality.

Expressing his pride, Karan Johar shared on social media that the screenings marked "such a great moment of pride for us." He praised director Shazia Iqbal, calling her "the soul of our film," and credited her vision for bringing depth and authenticity to the narrative. Johar emphasised that the overwhelming respect and engagement from students and faculty reflected the film's larger social impact.

A spiritual sequel to the 2018 film Dhadak and an adaptation of the Tamil film Pariyerum Perumal, Dhadak 2 follows the story of Neelesh and Vidhi, two young individuals from different caste and class backgrounds whose relationship challenges entrenched social hierarchies. While the film experienced delays related to certification and received a modest box office response, its academic recognition has added a new dimension to its journey. The film had touched upon the serious issue of ragging, the caste biases and more. Which also lead to violence in the film that created mental health awareness for the viewers. The movie turns into a case study

The inclusion of Dhadak 2 in university programmes suggests that it is being viewed not merely as mainstream entertainment, but as a cultural text capable of sparking meaningful conversations. Its themes of identity, discrimination and social mobility resonate strongly in academic environments where global perspectives on inequality and representation are actively explored.