Karan Johar slams Podcasters for hosting guests who disrespect Bollywood: This needs to stop...

Karan Johar calls out Podcasters who invite guests for clickbait

Karan Johar has never been one to hold back his words, and this weekend he made it clear that he has had enough of a certain online trend.

The filmmaker took to Instagram Stories on Saturday evening to call out podcasters who, in his view, are fuelling negativity for the sake of views.

Without naming names, Karan wrote a long note criticising shows that thrive on sensationalism by inviting guests who have little to lose and plenty of bitterness to share. “While I have utmost respect for credible and respectable members of the media! One sub culture of podcasters (basically chat shows with new age terminology) who have emerged from the woodworks… woods that no GPS can locate… they invite guests who have nothing to lose. Who haven't been invited since World War 2, and those guests spew venom and say the most disrespectful things about hardworking and legendary members of our fraternity!”

He didn’t stop there. Taking aim at another trend, he condemned the involvement of psychics and astrologers in such shows. “This needs to stop! Also psychics and astrologers giving awful and scary revelations even about people's impending death is both insensitive and disgusting! Free speech? Yes. Clickbait for followers? No!!”

For Karan, this wasn’t just a rant — it was a reminder that behind the glitz and glamour, there are real people working hard in the industry, and that constant disrespect takes a toll.

Away from the controversy, Johar has had a particularly eventful year. His latest production, Dhadak 2, released in cinemas on 1 August. Starring Triptii Dimri and Sidhant Chaturvedi, it is the Hindi remake of the acclaimed Tamil film Pariyerum Perumal.

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Earlier this month, his directorial Rocky Aur Rani Kii Prem Kahani earned him a National Film Award for Best Popular Film Providing Wholesome Entertainment — a proud milestone for both him and his team.

And Karan isn’t just working behind the camera. Fans will soon see him in a cameo in Aryan Khan’s directorial debut, The Ba**ds of Bollywood*. In a teaser already out, Karan can be spotted in a rather fiery mood, hurling expletives over the phone. The Netflix series is set to premiere on 18 September.