Filmmaker Karan Johar has finally broken his silence on the controversial Koffee with Karan season 6 episode, featuring cricketers Hardik Pandya and K L Rahul. The episode drew flak from viewers for the “misogynistic and sexist” remarks made by the guests.
In an interview with ET Now, Johar said he feels responsible for the statements of Pandya and Rahul and has spent sleepless nights wondering how to “undo this damage”. “I feel very responsible because it was my show and my platform. I invited them as guests and so the ramifications and repercussions of the show are my responsibility. I have had so many sleepless nights, just wondering about how I can undo this damage. Who is going to listen to me? It has now gone into a zone that is beyond my control,” he said in the interview.
Following their remarks, both Hardik Pandya and K L Rahul were provisionally suspended by the Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI). The two are awaiting an inquiry.
Karan Johar, who is currently in Davos for the World Economic Forum, added, “I don’t defend myself when I say this, the questions I asked the two boys are the questions I ask everyone, including women… I have no control over the answers that come my way. And post the show, I have a control room of about 16-17 girls. The show is run entirely by women. I’m the only man there. No one came and told me that ‘Karan, this is was inappropriate’.”
Accepting that his show is “frivolous, completely borderline ridiculous, irreverent, candid and sometimes stops making sense”, the self-proclaimed feminist said he would, henceforth, be extra cautious shooting for an episode of his chat show. Following the controversy, the episode featuring the two cricketers was taken down by streaming platform Hotstar.
(Agencies)
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