Renowned filmmaker and talk show host Karan Johar has finally answered one of the most frequently asked questions related to his popular celebrity chat show ‘Koffee with Karan’ – why? Virat KohliOne of India’s biggest sports icons has never been seen on the show.
Why did Virat Kohli not come to Koffee with Karan?
Speaking on Sania Mirza’s podcast, Johar revealed that his decision of not inviting Virat was influenced by the controversy in 2019 following the attendance of cricketers Hardik Pandya and Virat Kohli. KL Rahul In the same show.
The director of Rocky Aur Rani Ki Prem Kahani admitted that the results of that episode completely changed his approach towards inviting players.
The 2019 episode of Koffee with Karan featuring Hardik and KL Rahul made headlines for all the wrong reasons. The cricketers faced severe backlash for their inappropriate and gendered remarks, which many viewers found offensive. The controversy quickly escalated with social media outrage, public criticism and disciplinary action by the Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI).
As a result, both Pandya and Rahul were temporarily suspended from the Indian cricket team and were forced to issue public apologies. The episode was eventually removed by Disney+Hotstar, and Johar later admitted that the scandal deeply affected him personally and professionally.
Reflecting on that incident, Johar said, “I never asked Virat. And now, after what happened with Hardik and Rahul, I am not asking any cricketer. There are many people whom I thought would not come, so I never asked them before.”
This revelation reveals why despite Anushka Sharma’s multiple appearances on the show, Virat is missing from the guest list.
Also read: 7 controversial statements that Hardik Pandya and KL Rahul gave in ‘Koffee with Karan’
“I feel really bad about what happened”: Karan Johar
In a conversation with Sania, Johar admitted that the 2019 controversy left a lasting impression on him. He said he felt responsible for the incident and its impact on the players’ careers.
“I feel really bad about what happened,” Johar said. “I didn’t anticipate that his comments would cause such a storm. It became a learning moment for me about the responsibility that comes with hosting a show like this.”
The incident also forced Johar to re-evaluate his guest selection process, choosing to avoid inviting cricketers or individuals from non-entertainment fields who might not be accustomed to the spontaneous and often candid nature of the show.
Also read: Hardik Pandya’s phone wallpaper with girlfriend Mahika Sharma is going viral
