Highlights
- Karan Johar addressed speculation after unfollowing several Bollywood celebrities on Instagram
- Shah Rukh Khan, Alia Bhatt, Kajol and Kareena Kapoor Khan were among the names noticed by fans
- The filmmaker described the reaction online as “irrelevant” and linked the move to a “digital detox”
- Fans had speculated about possible fallout within Bollywood after the sudden unfollow spree
Fans notice Bollywood stars missing from Karan Johar’s following list
Karan Johar sparked widespread discussion online after fans noticed he had unfollowed several Bollywood celebrities on Instagram, including some of his closest friends and collaborators.
Social media users pointed out that names such as Shah Rukh Khan, Alia Bhatt, Kajol, Kareena Kapoor Khan, Varun Dhawan, Sidharth Malhotra and Ananya Panday were no longer visible on the filmmaker’s following list.
The sudden change quickly fuelled speculation about possible tensions within the industry, particularly because Johar has long shared close professional and personal relationships with many of the actors involved.
Fans also observed that Kartik Aaryan, who stars in Johar’s upcoming production Naagzilla, appeared to have been removed from the list as well.
Karan Johar calls reaction “irrelevant”
As theories spread online, Johar addressed the issue through Instagram Stories and clarified that the move had nothing to do with fallout or damaged friendships.
“It’s a DIGITAL DETOX!!!!” he wrote, explaining that he wanted to reduce the amount of time and energy he spends on Instagram.
The filmmaker also appeared amused by the attention surrounding the issue, writing: “This is irrelevant!” while urging people not to treat the situation like “national news”.
Fans later pointed out that Johar was no longer following Bollywood actors altogether, suggesting the move was part of a broader social media reset rather than targeted unfollowing.
Celebrity social media activity draws scrutiny
The incident once again highlighted how celebrity social media activity, particularly Instagram unfollows, continues to attract intense public attention and fan speculation.
Despite the online rumours, Johar was recently seen celebrating his 54th birthday alongside several Bollywood personalities, including Kareena Kapoor Khan, Karisma Kapoor, Rani Mukerji, Kiara Advani and Manish Malhotra.
