New Delhi: Filmmaker Karan Johar is set to host the sixth annual Earthshot Prize Awards Night in Mumbai on 17 November. Ahead of the ceremony, Johar met Prince William in London, where they discussed this year’s finalists, India’s environmental challenges and the impact of erratic rainfall on farmers and water supplies.
The Earthshot Prize’s official YouTube channel shared a video of their conversation, filmed at a building overlooking Big Ben.
During the meeting, William spoke about India’s weather conditions and the prolonged lack of rainfall in parts of the country. He highlighted its impact on farmers and the growing pressure on water resources.
“Almost three to four months without any proper rain. The farmers are struggling. Our water supplies are under stress. I think it’s making people more aware that water is a precious resource. So you had mid 40s, early 50s at some point in the year in some parts of India,” he said.
Johar agreed with William, noting that water-related concerns were increasingly becoming part of public conversations. The filmmaker also spoke about Mumbai hosting this year’s Earthshot Prize ceremony. There are 15 finalists competing across five categories, with five winners to be announced on 17 November. Each winner will receive £1 million to support the environmental solution or initiative they are working on.
Also read: What beauty means to Katrina Kaif after pregnancy
‘Indian representation makes my heart full’
William, who has previously visited Mumbai, recalled the city’s “energy and vibrancy” and said he was looking forward to bringing the awards to India. He also pointed to India’s strong representation among Earthshot finalists and winners.
Johar too highlighted the potential for environmental initiatives to combine philanthropy with business opportunities.
“The fact that there’s so much Indian representation makes my heart full. But with some of them, there’s also a deep business possibility because I think it combines philanthropy with business incentives so beautifully with the Earthshot Prize,” he said.
The two also discussed some of this year’s finalists, including Satellites on Fire and Mahindra Last Mile Mobility, with their conversation touching on wildfires, electric mobility and sustainable innovation.
Johar also praised William for using the Earthshot Prize to bring people from different parts of the world together to address environmental challenges. He spoke about the passion behind the initiative and the people working on solutions to global problems.
“I think what’s very special about the Earthshot Prize is how it’s bringing the world together to fight one common cause. And for that, I have to really, truly congratulate you for supporting and backing this and giving it your heart because I can tell whenever you speak about it, you can manufacture many things, but you can’t manufacture passion,” Johar said.
The previous Earthshot Prize ceremony was held in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil, on November 5, 2025.
(Edited by Saptak Datta)