Karan Johar regrets mocking Kangana Ranaut at IIFA, feels the joke was misunderstood 

After Varun Dhawan’s apologised for the dig at Kangana Ranaut at the recently concluded IIFA Awards, Karan Johar has now stated that he regrets the entire episode. The two of them, along with Saif Ali Khan, got back at the actress for accusing Johar of nepotism earlier this year. 

Talking to a news channel, Johar said, “The idea of that joke was entirely mine, so I take the onus of the idea of what we said. And I think we went a bit too far with the Kangana mention. Now I have to say, no matter what I feel about my issues with what Kangana said on my talk show Koffee With Karan, I felt that I was raised to be a dignified, a chivalrous, and a decent person. That’s the upbringing that I was given and I feel that I failed on those accounts. I felt that no matter what my thoughts or personal issues on this, I should not have repeatedly brought up this issue. For that, I’m deeply regretful.” 

The trio faced severe criticism on social media for their remark, “Nepotism rocks!” Johar has now said that he doesn’t believe that nepotism rocks. However, he also added that their joke was misunderstood. “Of course I don’t believe that ‘nepotism rocks’. Of course, I believe that only talent rocks. If anything that rocks, it’s your talent, hard work and conviction. It’s the energy you bring to your job. What we said was meant to be a joke, which I think has been misplaced, misunderstood and I think it went wrong. I regret it,” he said. 

During the same performance, Dhawan took Ranaut’s name indirectly by uttering the words of the song, ‘Bole Choodiyan, Bole Kangana.’ To this, Johar said, “Kangana naa hi bole toh achha hai. Kangana bahut bolti hai (It is better than Kangana doesn’t speak. She talks too much).” 

Johar cleared the air regarding this too. “It was something that we said in humour, it may be terrible humour, bad humour, misplaced humour, but our intention was not to hurt anyone. That very core is what failed. Then I got carried away in the moment and I regret that,” he added. 

After the outrage on social media, Dhawan posted an apology on his Twitter page last evening. “I express my apology and regret .. I am extremely sorry if I have offended or hurt anyone with that act..,” he said.