Filmmaker Karan Johar recently revealed he will not invite cricketer Virat Kohli to his chat show Koffee With Karan. During a conversation with tennis player Sania Mirza, Karan explained his decision stems from the controversy surrounding a 2019 episode featuring cricketers Hardik Pandya and KL Rahul. That episode sparked widespread criticism after Hardik's comments were deemed sexist and inappropriate, leading to public backlash, official apologies, and temporary suspensions by the Board of Control for Cricket in India. Virat Kohli, who was India's captain at the time, publicly distanced himself from those remarks, stating the team did not support such views. Since then, Karan has avoided inviting cricketers altogether. When Sania pressed about Virat specifically, Karan clarified he never approached the former skipper following the fallout. The filmmaker also mentioned that actor Ranbir Kapoor has declined returning to the show for three consecutive seasons.
Why Cricketers Are No Longer Welcome on the Show
Karan Johar stated he has stopped approaching cricketers after the Hardik Pandya and KL Rahul controversy from 2019. The season opener episode drew severe criticism when Hardik's comments were labelled sexist by media and the public. Both players issued apologies and faced temporary suspensions from the cricket board. Virat Kohli, serving as captain then, publicly disowned the opinions expressed on the show, emphasizing the team disagreed with such remarks. Karan told Sania Mirza he never asked Virat to appear and confirmed cricketers will not be invited moving forward. Rahul recently played against Australia in ODIs, while Hardik missed the tour due to a quadriceps injury sustained during an Asia Cup match in the UAE.
Source: Link