The filmmaker on becoming the brand ambassador of the Indian Open and Global Sports Pro and Challenger League, why the game is a revolution for people across age groups, Bollywood and corporate interest in the sport, and how playing it has been a game-changing experience for him
Karan Johar, Film director and producer Image: Mexy Xavier
Thirty-four years after he last played a racquet sport—badminton—Karan Johar started playing pickleball in his 50s. A mash-up of tennis, table tennis and badminton, the non-contact sport is growing in popularity in India. And the filmmaker is among the many who have taken a fancy to it.
Johar, 52, is the brand ambassador of the Indian Open and Global Sports Pro and Challenger League 2025. Ten teams will participate in the tournament, scheduled to be held from February 3 to 9 in Mumbai. Global Sports is a leading sports management firm that has been promoting pickleball across the country under the leadership of Hemal Jain, and co-founders Niraj Jain, Divyesh Jain and Suresh Bhansali. Filmmaker Shashank Khaitan and Yuvraj Ruia, Pro Pickleball player and scion of Essar Industries, are partners.
In an interview with Forbes India, Johar speaks about being a part of the pickleball revolution, taking the sport global, the commercial aspect of the game, and how the association of Bollywood celebrities gives it an additional fillip. Edited excerpts: