Karan Johar responds on Cricketers issue

Mumbai, January 23: Cricketers Hardik Pandya and KL Rahul have been seen in Karan Johar s Koffee With Karan, and in that show, Hardik made some uncertain comments, which are revealed earlier this month. Show host and Bollywood producer-director, Karan Johar who had been silent on the issue so far has finally spoken up and said that he feels responsible for the backlash received by the cricketers.

"I invited them as guests, and so the ramifications and repercussions of the show are my responsibility,” he told ET Now. “I have had so many sleepless nights wondering about how I can undo this damage and who’s going to listen to me. It’s now gone into a zone that is beyond my control."

Clarifying that he is not defending himself, Karan said that the questions he asked the cricketers were questions that he asks everyone on the show, including women. "I have no control about the answers that come my way," he said. Karan also clarified why he did not see Hardik’s comments as problematic at the time because, his control room, which has 16-17 women did not object to uncertain statements he made after the show.

When asked if he regretted it in looking back, Karan said that he regretted what has happened to the Hardik and Rahul. The duo has been suspended, were called back from India’s ODI series with Australia and are likely to sit out the upcoming one with New Zealand as well.

"There was also talk of me enjoying the TRP. But this is not about the TRP. This is a spinoff of my career, this is not my career, but it’s theirs. I don’t care about the ratings. People don’t understand that an English language show [in India] is never dependent on its ratings. We are nowhere on the radar of ratings," he argued. Karan Johar described his show as "frivolous, borderline ridiculous, candid, irreverent and stop making sense" kind.

He also apologized, "I am not justifying the conversation that happened on the show. But that perhaps things were said on the show that crossed boundaries and I apologize because it was my platform." asked Karan if the cricketers’ responses were an attempt to outdo the film stars who are usually seated on that couch. But Karan said no, adding that perhaps Hardik’s responses were such because they were on a show that was not about sports. "I always ask people about their personal lives, their likes, their dislikes, who they find hot, who they don’t," Karan said.

He is a strong feminist. "I was raised by a strong woman, I have aunts who are very strong women. I believe in the power of women and what they can contribute to society and the world; I would never want to offend them, and that was not my idea. I have asked these same questions to the girls," he said.

Karan also added that now he would be conscious about shooting any other episode of Koffee With Karan as well.