KJo defends Vijay-Rashmika, Ranveer-Deepika against 'extremely regressive' trolling

Director and chat show host Karan Johar has strongly condemned the intense online trolling directed at celebrity couples. He backed actors Vijay Deverakonda, Rashmika Mandanna, Ranveer Singh, and Deepika Padukone following their appearances on Koffee With Karan Season 9. Addressing the severe scrutiny and unsolicited relationship advice faced by these actors on social media, the director called the backlash 'downright regressive'. He questioned why internet users felt entitled to police celebrity lives.In a recent interview with The Hollywood Reporter India, Karan Johar first addressed the heavy online discussions surrounding Vijay Deverakonda and Rashmika Mandanna following their joint appearance on Koffee With Karan Season 9. While acknowledging that public figures are subject to commentary, Karan drew a firm line between expressing an opinion and dictating personal choices."Everyone’s entitled to an opinion. But when you start telling them what to do in that relationship, I have a very big problem," he said, adding, "Who are you? Are you a counsellor? Are you a lawyer? Are you a member of their family?"The Koffee With Karan Season host also defended Ranveer Singh and Deepika Padukone against harsh online judgments regarding revelations about their past dating lives shared in the previous season. He highlighted that the couple had simply been transparent.The 54-year-old said, “They were just being honest about their lives. Since when should honesty be judged? You should be appreciative of someone’s honesty." He emphasised that the two actors are "beautifully in love" and expressed dismay over the critical online discourse.The Rocky Aur Rani Kii Prem Kahaani director also condemned internet users for dragging family members into online debates, stating that fans and commentators should respect boundaries. He acknowledged that micro-analysis and clickbait culture have become standard features of digital monetisation, comparing the constant scrutiny to film criticism.“Don’t tell a couple what they should do. You can analyse what you think of them, but you can’t give them their endgame," he said.Concluding his remarks, Karan reiterated that both pairs are thriving in their personal lives, asserting, “Vijay and Rashmika are an exceptionally happy couple, Ranveer and Deepika are an exceptionally happy couple."Meanwhile, actor couple Sidharth Malhotra and Kiara Advani will be the next guests on the next episode of Koffee With Karan Season 9, premiering on October 12.The episodes of the celebrity talk show stream on JioHotstar on Wednesday at 7 pm.- Ends