Good actors have been heartbroken in love: Karan Johar

Filmmaker Karan Johar says behind every good actor there is a broken heart, otherwise it is difficult to perform the way they do on screen.

Johar says without a personal heartbreak, it is impossible to bring out emotions on celluloid.

"I think actors who haven't had broken hearts don't perform the way they should. I feel if you are a good actor you must have had a broken heart. It's not possible otherwise for you to depict a certain kind of emotion on celluloid," Johar said at a panel discussion here last night.

He was joined by filmmaker Imtiaz Ali, actor Neha Dhupia and TV personality Ranvijay Singha.

The "Ae Dil Hai Mushkil" director says it is easy to identify someone who is trying hard to bring out emotions without actually having been through a heartbreak.

"Sometimes your eyes do depict your heart story. Many of them whose eyes speak volume, they've been through that journey in life. You know when the actor hasn't been through this and is merely touching the surface. There's no feel, because feel comes from history," he added.

To which Imtiaz quipped, "We also know that some actors are trying to go through that experience (heartbreak) to become better actors."
Karan replied, "Many a time they do that purposely. Traumatise themselves so that they perform better."
The director says there's nothing to worry about a broken heart as it can "empower you in so many ways."