Karan Johar reveals he broke down after troll accused him of denying kids a mother

Quick highlights:

• Karan Johar revealed how a troll's comment made him question raising kids without a mother.
• The filmmaker broke down after reading the remark but found comfort in his children’s response.
• Yash and Roohi, born via surrogacy in 2017, told him they’re happy “because you’re our dada”.
• Johar credits his close friends and chosen family for supporting him through parenting challenges.

Karan Johar has shared a deeply personal moment about the emotional toll of being a single parent, revealing how one hurtful online comment briefly made him question his choice to raise his twins without a mother. In a recent interview, the filmmaker recalled breaking down after reading the remark and turning to his children for reassurance.

In the interview, the Rocky Aur Rani director recalled reading a troll’s comment that said, “Do you realise you’ve denied your children a mother?” The words struck a nerve. “That broke my heart. For the first time, I doubted myself,” Karan admitted.

The very next morning, still affected, he walked into his children’s room and asked the five-year-olds a question no parent should have to ask: “Are you happy?” Their response? “Yes, because you’re our dada” was all the validation he needed. “It gave me strength,” he said. “Say what you want, I’m proud to be their single parent.”

Yash and Roohi, born via surrogacy in 2017, told him they’re happy “because you’re our dada”Instagram/karanjohar

Karan Johar on parenting without a partner: ‘I do double duty on every front’

Johar, who became a single father through surrogacy in 2017 at age 44, spoke candidly about the realities of raising children without a partner or sibling for support. “I’m an only child and a single parent,” he said. “But my found family and my closest friends have filled in the gaps with endless love.”

He described navigating parent-teacher meetings, school WhatsApp groups filled with mothers, and balancing both roles at home as “daunting but fulfilling”.

Why Yash and Roohi’s names hold emotional meaning for Karan

Karan named his son Yash in honour of his late father, producer Yash Johar, and daughter Roohi as a rearrangement of his mother Hiroo’s name. “They represent the two most important people in my life,” he shared.

Despite moments of doubt, Johar says he has no regrets. “I waited for love to happen before becoming a parent. But in the end, love came in the form of my children.”