Karan Johar makes MET Gala debut, calls it a full circle moment

May 5, 2026

Mumbai: As he made his MET Gala debut, filmmaker Karan Johar penned a note of gratitude, saying that life really does come full circle in the most unexpected ways. Karan, who wore an ensemble inspired by Raja Ravi Varma’s art designed by Manish Malhotra for the MET Gala theme “Costume Art,” shared his look on Instagram and said that from loving cinema and costume as a wide-eyed dreamer to standing on the steps of the Met Gala, life has come a full circle for him. “From loving cinema and costume as a wide-eyed dreamer to standing on the steps of THE Met Gala…life really does come full circle in the most unexpected ways.

Outfit inspired by art and storytelling

This moment wasn’t just about fashion for me,” Karan wrote. Karan, whose statement outfit, known as a “moving canvas,” included hand-painted elements and a long cape, said it was about storytelling. “About taking the legacy of Raja Ravi Varma and letting it live again… this time, not on canvas, but in motion. To representing India and our culture, our art and our storytelling on the global ‘steps’.

Thirty years of friendship and collaboration with Manish Malhotra and still creating firsts together – so grateful to you and your team for this core memory.”

About MET Gala event

The MET Gala is the annual haute couture fundraising festival held for the benefit of the Metropolitan Museum of Art’s Costume Institute on the Museum Mile of Fifth Avenue in Manhattan.

It is widely regarded as the world’s most prestigious and glamorous fashion event. Attendees are allowed to express themselves through fashion, often producing elaborate and highly publicized outfits inspired by the evening’s theme and broader cultural context.

Karan Johar’s film journey

Karan, who is the son of late filmmaker Yash Chopra, made his directorial debut with Kuch Kuch Hota Hai in 1998. He is also known for making films such as Kabhi Khushi Kabhie Gham, Kabhi Alvida Naa Kehna, My Name Is Khan and Rocky Aur Rani Kii Prem Kahaani.