Bollywood filmmaker Karan Johar said that India is a "tough country" where speaking about personal life can land people behind the bars and he did not want to fight "governance" by talking about issues like "intolerance". "We are in a tough country and to speak about one's personal life in today's time can land you in jail," the director-producer said at the ninth edition of the Jaipur Literature Festival. He was in conversation with author Shobaa De and his biographer Poonam Saxena on his upcoming biography 'An Unsuitable Boy'. Johar, who has made films on contentious issues such as homosexuality (Dostana) and relationships outside wedlock (Kabhi Alvida Na Kehna), said as a filmmaker he felt bound at every level. "I feel bound on every level, be it what I put out on the celluloid or what I say in print. I feel like there is always some kind of a legal notice awaiting me everywhere I go."

"Do I need to fight the governance? We're fighting the censor with every film. You write anything, you can't say anything. How are we democratic then?" He also added, "Freedom of expression is the biggest joke in the world... Democracy is the second biggest joke I think."

Talking about section 377 of the Indian penal code, which criminalises same sex relationships, Johar said, "It's a hurdle we need to combat." He also said he appreciated endeavors made by politicians like Shashi Tharoor who had brought up the bill in the last Parliament session.