Koffee With Karan has long been known for its candid celebrity confessions and unexpected revelations. However, the popular chat show now appears to be taking a more cautious approach as celebrity guests become increasingly mindful of how their comments could affect their public image.
Host Karan Johar recently opened up about guests seeking post-edit clearances before episodes are aired. He admitted that the show's conversations have become milder because everyone is worried about potential PR backlash.
Karan recalled that the early seasons of KWK had a much simpler setup. There were no handlers or teams keeping track of every word or preparing to manage the consequences of an offhand remark.
“When I started Koffee With Karan, and I used to look beyond the stage, there used to be nobody there. It was just an empty set. Now when I look, there are publicists, managers, image-management people, teams. The hair and makeup and entourage have also increased substantially," the filmmaker said in conversation with Variety India.
Karan Johar acknowledged that conversations on the show have become increasingly guarded and less candid over the years. “I know the steam has become lesser, the brew is much milder. That's only because everyone's very worried. Because you saw what happens. Anyone comes on this show and says even something tiny and it blows up and it's a PR nightmare and no one wants that," he added.
The host revealed that several celebrity guests now request to review edited episodes before they are aired. This allows them or their teams to flag certain portions or seek the removal of specific moments. Karan said he has no objections to the practice and understands why guests prefer to have that control.
“I absolutely respect that because I would do the same if I was invited to Koffee With Karan, because I don't want to go through a PR nightmare. So while our coffee brew is milder, that's only because everyone's worried," he said.
The ongoing ninth season of Koffee With Karan, which marks the show's final instalment, is available to stream on JioHotstar. The season opened with appearances by Salman Khan, followed by Rashmika Mandanna and Vijay Deverakonda. Varun Dhawan, Janhvi Kapoor and Arjun Kapoor featured in the third episode. The latest episode saw real-life couple Kareena Kapoor Khan and Saif Ali Khan taking the couch.
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