Indian filmmaker and producer Karan Johar has been revealed as the host of the 2026 Earthshot Prize awards
Credit: Chris Jackson/Getty; Andranil Aditya/NurPhoto via Getty
NEED TO KNOW
- Indian director and filmmaker Karan Johar will host the Earthshot Prize 2026 awards evening in Mumbai this November
- In an exclusive interview with PEOPLE, Johar praised Prince William’s dedication to tackling climate change and his “passion” for the Earthshot Prize
- Every year, the Earthshot Prize awards selects 15 finalists and five winners each receive $1.33 million to help support environmental work
The host of the Earthshot Prize 2026 has praised Prince William’s “passion” for tackling climate change, saying that there needs to be “many more Prince Williams in the world.”
In February, the Prince of Wales, 44, revealed that he would be taking his Earthshot Prize to Mumbai, India — a city he and wife Kate Middleton visited a decade ago.
On Friday, Sept. 18, it was announced that Indian filmmaker and producer Karan Johar will be hosting the awards evening, which is set to take place on Nov. 17.
Credit: Hannah Pye
Johar, who is the current host of The Traitors India, exclusively tells PEOPLE about how much of a “pleasure,” “privilege,” and “honor” it has been to work closely with the Earthshot Prize and William, describing his passion for the cause as “infectious.”
“I think Prince William is a huge contributor to [the discussion] of climate change. Someone of his stature, someone of his power in the world, for him to take on a cause, relentlessly and effortlessly and with so much passion, really makes all the difference,” Johar tells PEOPLE.
“Many people provide lip service about it, but very few people really act on it, and he is that man who is acting on it every day of his life,” Johar says of William.
Credit: Andrew Parsons / Kensington Palace
He described the prince as “very articulate” about climate change, adding that he contributes to important discussions on the subject.
“I think for that we have to acknowledge that we need many more Prince Williams in the world to come and take on this cause the way he has,” Johar says.
The Earthshot Prize, established by William in 2020, selects 15 finalists each year for a celebration at an awards ceremony, where five winners each receive a £1 million ($1.33 million) prize to help with their work.
Credit: Hannah Pye
“[The prince] is wonderful; he’s charming, we know that. But I also said to him, I said what’s fantastic is the passion he has for the Earthshot Prize, for the cause,” Johar said.
He added that he and William spoke about how hot the summer had been in both India and England. This then turned into a conversation about how discussions on climate change are “integral, important, and essential.”
Credit: Hannah Pye
In between filming for the Earthshot Prize in London, Johar also says he and William discussed British rapper Central Cee.
The Indian filmmaker, who famously directed the movie Kabhi Khushi Kabhie Gham, revealed to the royal that his 9-year-old son, Yash Johar, wanted him to try to meet the star during his flying visit to the U.K.
Can’t get enough of PEOPLE’s Royals coverage? Sign up for our free Royals newsletter to get the latest updates on Kate Middleton, Meghan Markle and more!
“For some reason, my son thinks I can manage the impossible because I was meeting Prince William, so he said then I should be able to meet Central Cee,” Johar said. “I was trying to convince him that it’s not that easy, and I don’t think Central Cee wants to meet me, but we discussed that in between the camera rolling; we had a little bit of a chat about it, and [William] was vastly amused.”
Though he remained tight-lipped about the plans for upcoming award ceremony, Johar stressed that it would be a historic evening for India and the world.
“All I can say is it’s going to be an emotional night for the 15 finalists, a relevant night for the world as a result of those 15 finalists, a spectacular night,” he said. “Some of the most amazing talent will be on that stage, nationally and internationally. There will be some formidable presenters. It will be a night that Mumbai will not forget and I’m sure the world will always remember.”
This year’s finalists include Yellowstone to Yukon, a conservation collaboration to reconnect a mountain landscape across Canada and the U.S. so wildlife can once again move freely, and Satellites on Fire, an Argentinian AI-powered wildfire detection and alert platform, spotting and tracking wildfires across 21 countries.
In a statement obtained by PEOPLE, Prince William said: “Every year, our finalists give me renewed optimism. They show us that, even as the environmental challenges remain urgent, extraordinary people around the world are already proving that progress is possible. Seeing solutions work gives us all confidence to act. When they succeed, they inspire others and accelerate change. I’m proud to welcome these 15 Finalists to the Earthshot Prize community and look forward to celebrating their stories in Mumbai this November.”
To find out more about this year’s finalists, visit the Earthshot Prize website.
Read the full article here