When Alia Bhatt called Prithviraj Chauhan ‘President of India’ on Koffee With Karan

When Alia Bhatt called Prithviraj Chauhan ‘President of India’ on Koffee With Karan

It was one of those moments that Bollywood fans can never forget. Back in 2013, during her debut appearance on Koffee With Karan, Alia Bhatt faced a rapid-fire question that would go down in meme history.

Host Karan Johar casually asked her, “Who is the President of India?” Without a second thought, Alia confidently replied: “Prithviraj Chauhan.” While Varun Dhawan answer was "Manmohan Singh", who was then the Prime Minister not President.

The answer left not just Karan but the audience stunned. Of course, the correct answer back then was Pranab Mukherjee. Within minutes of the episode airing, Twitter and Facebook erupted. Alia Bhatt became a trending topic overnight—not for her film career, but for her hilarious blunder.

Memes flooded the internet. Some compared her to “Gen Z history students,” others joked that she had just rewritten Indian history. The trolling was merciless, yet laced with humor. For weeks, “Alia Bhatt – Prithviraj Chauhan” became a running gag at parties, WhatsApp groups, and even college fests.

Alia, to her credit, handled the criticism with grace. In interviews that followed, she laughed it off, admitting that it was a silly slip. “I was nervous and blurted out the wrong name,” she said once.

Also Read: FIR filed against Shah Rukh Khan and Deepika Padukone over faulty vehicles, read to know more

Years later, she even joined in the fun with the spoof video Genius of the Year, produced by AIB, where she poked fun at her own GK gaffe. That move turned the tables, earning her praise for not taking herself too seriously.

Looking back, the incident feels less like an embarrassment and more like a rite of passage. It gave the internet one of its earliest Bollywood meme moments, cementing Alia’s place in pop culture in an unexpected way. And honestly, it showed that even stars can have their off-days—sometimes, hilariously so.