Karan Johar is taking on a new global role as he gears up to host “The Earthshot Prize Awards Night” in Mumbai this November. The filmmaker recently met Prince William in London as the 15 finalists for the 2026 edition of the prestigious environmental prize were unveiled. 

Johar will become the first Indian to host the annual Earthshot Prize ceremony, which will be held in Mumbai on November 17. This will also mark the first time the global awards, founded by Prince William in 2020, will be hosted in India. 

During their meeting, Johar and Prince William discussed the upcoming ceremony as well as environmental challenges facing India, including issues around rainfall, farmers and sustainable solutions. Johar also spoke about the need for environmental innovations to become viable and scalable businesses. 

The 2026 Earthshot Prize has selected 15 finalists from nearly 7,000 nominations across 169 countries. They are competing across five categories. Protect and Restore Nature, Clean Our Air, Revive Our Oceans, Build a Waste-Free World and Fix Our Climate. Among the finalists are India's Mahindra Last Mile Mobility and Mahila Housing Trust.  

Five winners will be announced at the Mumbai ceremony, with each receiving £1 million to help scale their environmental solutions. The awards night will be preceded by the Earthshot Prize Summit, which will bring together global environmental leaders, innovators, investors and businesses. 

For Karan Johar, the Mumbai ceremony marks a significant moment as he brings his entertainment-world presence to an international platform focused on climate action and environmental innovation.