Director Karan Johar, in the recent episode of 'Koffee with Karan 7' claims that actor Aamir Khan is responsible for losing the tonality in Hindi cinema that South cinema offers.
In conversation with Aamir, the 'Ae Dil Hai Mushkil' director said, "There's been so much success that some of the South Industry films have offered us in terms of 'Baahubali', then 'RRR', 'KGF', and 'Pushpa' and some of our films that haven't been working. Is there a shift that's happened in our movies recently in terms of like there's a tonality that 'KGF' has or 'Pushpa' has that actually Hindi cinema used to have. We actually let go of it and you're responsible for it."
Explaining the reason why he finds Aamir is responsible for all this, Karan said, " In the year 2001 you came up with two films 'Dil Chahta Hai' and 'Lagaan', both had new sensibilities, both had a new syntax in cinema then after that you came up with a film 'Rang De Basanti' in 2006, then you made 'Taare Zameen Par' right after that, with the result you started making a certain audience and filmmakers."
To which Aamir denied all the claims and said, "No you're wrong. Those were all heartland films. Those movies had emotions. They reach the common man. It's something that you will emotionally connect to. 'Rang De Basanti' is a very emotional film. It touches the people at grassroots."
Aamir further said, "I am not saying make action films or crude films. Make good films with great stories but choose topics that are relevant to most people. Every filmmaker has the freedom to make what they want. But when you are picking something that the bulk of India is not really interested in... There are niche people who are interested, which most of us don't realise. That's what I feel is the difference."
South Indian films in the past few years have performed exceptionally well worldwide. But big Bollywood films like 'Prithviraj', Ranbir Kapoor's 'Shamshera' and Ranveer Singh's 'Jayeshbhai Jordaar' failed to bring audiences to the theatres. Apart from that, the fifth episode of Karan's chat show ended on a very happy note, with the 'Sarfarosh' actor winning the rapid-fire round with 73% votes of the live audience and with Kareena winning the quick buzzer round with a majority of 15 points in her kitty.
Meanwhile, talking about the work front, Aamir is currently busy promoting his upcoming family entertainer film 'Laal Singh Chadha' which is all set to hit the theatres on August 11, 2022. The film also stars Kareena Kapoor Khan and Mona Singh.
'Laal Singh Chadha' is going to face a big box office clash with Akshay Kumar's next film 'Raksha Bandhan.'
So, Kajol and Twinkle Khanna’s show, Two Much, is already near its fourth episode. And people keep asking: why do we love watching stars sit on sofas so much? It’s not the gossip. Not really. We’re not paying for the gossip. We’re paying for the glimpse. For the little wobble in a voice, a tiny apology, a family story you recognise. It’s why Simi’s white sofa mattered once, why Karan’s sofa rattled the tabloids, and why Kapil’s stage made everyone feel at home. The chat show isn’t dead. It just keeps changing clothes.
Why Indian audiences can’t stop watching chat shows from Simi Garewal to Karan Johar Instagram/karanjohar/primevideoin/ Youtube Screengrab
Remember the woman in white?
Simi Garewal brought quiet and intimacy. Her Rendezvous with Simi Garewal was all white sets and soft lights, and it felt almost like a church for confessions. She never went full interrogation mode with her guests. Instead, she’d just slowly unravel them, almost like magic. Amitabh Bachchan and Rekha, they all sat on that legendary white sofa, dropping their guard and letting something real slip out, something you’d never stumble across anywhere else. The whole thing was gentle, personal, and almost revolutionary.
Simi Garewal and her iconic white sofa changed the face of Indian talk showsYoutube Screengrab/SimiGarewalOfficial
Then along came Karan Johar
Let’s be honest, Karan Johar changed the game completely. Koffee with Karan was the polar opposite. Where Simi was a whisper, Karan was a roar. His rapid-fire round was a headline machine. Suddenly, it stopped being about struggles or emotions but opinions, little rivalries, and that full-on, shiny Bollywood chaos. He almost spun the film industry into a full-blown high school drama, and honestly? We loved it up.
Kapil Sharma rewired the format again and took the chat show, threw it in a blender with a comedy sketch, and created a monster hit. His genius was in creating a world or what we call his crazy “Shantivan Society” and making the celebrities enter his universe. Suddenly, Shah Rukh Khan was being teased by a fictional, grumpy neighbour and Ranbir Kapoor was taunted by a fictional disappointed ex-girlfriend. Stars were suddenly part of the spectacle, all halos tossed aside. It was chaotic, yes, but delightfully so. The sort of chaos that still passed the family-TV test. For once, these impossibly glamorous faces felt like old friends lounging in your living room.
Kajol and Twinkle’s Amazon show Two Much feels like friends talking to people in their circle, and that matters. What’s wild is, these folks aren’t the stiff, traditional hosts, they’re insiders. The fun ones. The ones who know every secret because, let’s be honest, they were there when the drama started. On a platform like Amazon, they don’t have to play for TRPs or stick to a strict clock. They can just… talk.
People want to peep behind the curtain. Even with Instagram and Reels, there’s value in a longer, live-feeling exchange. It’s maybe the nuance, like an awkward pause, a memory that makes a star human, or a silly joke that lands. OTT gives space for that. Celebs turned hosts, like Twinkle and Kajol in Two Much or peers like Rana Daggubati in Telugu with The Rana Daggubati Show, can ask differently; they make room for stories that feel earned, not engineered.
How have streaming and regional shows changed the game?
Streaming freed chat shows from TRP pressure and ad breaks. You get episodes that breathe. Even regional versions likeThe Rana Daggubati Show, or long-running local weekend programmes, prove this isn’t a Mumbai-only appetite. Viewers want local language and local memories, the same star-curiosity in Kannada, Telugu, or Tamil. That widens the talent pool and the tone.
From White Sofas to OTT Screens How Indian Talk Shows Keep Capturing HeartsiStock
Are shock moments over?
Not really. But people are getting sick of obvious bait. Recent launches lean into warmth and inside jokes rather than feeding headlines. White set, gold couch, or a stage full of noise, it doesn’t matter. You just want to sit there, listen, get pulled into their stories, like a campfire you can’t leave. We watch, just curious, hoping maybe these stars are a little like us. Or maybe we’re hoping we can borrow a bit of their sparkle.
By clicking the 'Subscribe’, you agree to receive our newsletter, marketing communications and industry
partners/sponsors sharing promotional product information via email and print communication from Garavi Gujarat
Publications Ltd and subsidiaries. You have the right to withdraw your consent at any time by clicking the
unsubscribe link in our emails. We will use your email address to personalize our communications and send you
relevant offers. Your data will be stored up to 30 days after unsubscribing.
Contact us at data@amg.biz to see how we manage and store your data.