Koffee With Karan: Ranbir Kapoor with Karan Johar ((courtesy: karanjohar)
Karan Johar returns with the seventh episode of Koffee With Karan tonight. While the Internet is excited about the celebrities making their debuts on the show – Samantha Ruth Prabhu, Kiara Advani and Vijay Deverakonda – some big names will be MIA from the Koffee couch. Among them is actor Ranbir Kapoor, who has been on previous seasons of Koffee With Karan but has excused himself this year. Speaking to NDTV ahead of the show, Karan Johar revealed that Ranbir, who married actress Alia Bhatt in April, is wary of controversy "stay(ing) with (him) for life." Ranbir also quipped to KJo that he would agree to appear on Koffee With Karan if he were to receive the same paycheck as his host. "I'm paying you enough for the movies you are doing," was Karan Johar's friendly rejoinder; he also said that he respects Ranbir Kapoor's decision to skip the show and that he never "pressurizes" any of his guests.
Karan Johar told NDTV about Ranbir Kapoor: "He said, 'I'm not coming, kuch gadbad ho jayega (something will go wrong),' it'll stay with me for life, I'm not coming'. He teases me, he says, 'You pay me what you're getting and I'll come'. I said, 'Why should I pay you? I'm paying you enough for the movies you're doing.' And I respect that. Just because they're close friends, it doesn't mean they should come. I will never pressurize anybody, because I feel you have to come off your own free will and live up to the reputation of the fun aspect of the show. If you come half-heartedly, it's going to be counterproductive."
Ranbir Kapoor has so far avoided controversial statements on Koffee With Karan though he has been the subject of some – his co-stars Deepika Padukone (also his ex) and Sonam Kapoor famously took potshots at Ranbir on one of the early seasons of the show.
Ranbir Kapoor is not the only biggie to skip this season of Koffee With Karan; none of the three Khans – Shah Rukh, Salman and Aamir - will be there either. Ranbir's wife Alia Bhatt will be the first guest this evening with Rocky Aur Rani Ki Prem Kahani co-star Ranveer Singh. Also in the Koffee lineup are Sara Ali Khan and Janhvi Kapoor, Akshay Kumar, Ananya Panday, Shahid Kapoor, Anil Kapoor, Varun Dhawan, Tiger Shroff and Kriti Sanon.
Koffee With Karan will stream on Disney+Hotstar.