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What is the story about?
When one of Bollywood's most socially connected personalities suddenly stops following some of the industry's biggest stars, speculation is bound to follow. That's exactly what happened on Thursday after filmmaker Karan Johar's Instagram activity caught the attention of fans, who noticed that several celebrity names had disappeared from his following list.
As rumours began circulating online after he unfollowed celebrities like Shah Rukh Khan, Kareena Kapoor and Alia Bhatt, Karan stepped in to clear the air.
The filmmaker claimed that the move had nothing to do with personal relationships and everything to do with spending less time on social media.
Over the years,Karan has built one of the most active celebrity presences on social media. His Instagram account regularly offers glimpses into his projects, personal life and interactions with industry friends.
Karan Johar claims ‘digital detox’
After social media users began discussing his changing Instagram following list, Karan addressed the matter through his Instagram stories. The filmmaker dismissed the growing speculation and described the move as part of a personal ‘digital detox.’ According to
Karan, the decision was aimed at reducing the amount of time and energy he spends on the platform.
In a light-hearted post, he urged people not to turn the issue into major news. “It’s a DIGITAL DETOX!!!! Am unfollowing everyone to reduce my time and energy spent on the gram!!! This can’t be national news for god’s sake ????… please clickbait something else! This is irrelevant!" he wrote.
Which celebrities were unfollowed?
Fans were quick to notice that Karan's following had shrunk despite his massive social media presence. Several well-known Bollywood names, including Shah Rukh Khan, Alia Bhatt, Kareena Kapoor Khan and designer Manish Malhotra, were no longer among the accounts he followed. Actors such as Varun Dhawan, Sidharth Malhotra, Malaika Arora and Ananya Panday were also absent from the list. Observers also pointed out that Karan had unfollowed Kartik Aaryan, who is set to star in his upcoming production,
Naagzilla.A few names still remain
While many familiar Bollywood faces disappeared from his following list, Karan continues to follow a select group of accounts. Among the notable names still on the list are Priyanka Chopra, Dharma Productions CEO Apoorva Mehta and businessman Adar Poonawalla.
Social media strategy or personal reset?
Adding another layer to the discussion, a report by Filmfare cited sources claiming that the unfollowing spree was part of a broader social media strategy. "Karan Johar will be unfollowing his following list because of a social media strategy. It has nothing to do with any particular star, page or person," as per the source.
Not the first time he's stepped away
This is not the first occasion on which Karan has chosen to distance himself from social media. In 2022, he exited X (formerly Twitter), announcing that he wanted to create more space for positivity in his life. At the time, he said, "Making space for more positive energies only and this is step one towards that. Goodbye Twitter!”
What's next for Karan Johar?
On the professional front, Karan recently backed Ananya Panday and Lakshya starrer Chand Mera Dil. While the film generated attention ahead of its release, it received a mixed response at the box office.
As rumours began circulating online after he unfollowed celebrities like Shah Rukh Khan, Kareena Kapoor and Alia Bhatt, Karan stepped in to clear the air.
The filmmaker claimed that the move had nothing to do with personal relationships and everything to do with spending less time on social media.
Over the years,Karan has built one of the most active celebrity presences on social media. His Instagram account regularly offers glimpses into his projects, personal life and interactions with industry friends.
Karan Johar claims ‘digital detox’
After social media users began discussing his changing Instagram following list, Karan addressed the matter through his Instagram stories. The filmmaker dismissed the growing speculation and described the move as part of a personal ‘digital detox.’ According to
In a light-hearted post, he urged people not to turn the issue into major news. “It’s a DIGITAL DETOX!!!! Am unfollowing everyone to reduce my time and energy spent on the gram!!! This can’t be national news for god’s sake ????… please clickbait something else! This is irrelevant!" he wrote.
Which celebrities were unfollowed?
Fans were quick to notice that Karan's following had shrunk despite his massive social media presence. Several well-known Bollywood names, including Shah Rukh Khan, Alia Bhatt, Kareena Kapoor Khan and designer Manish Malhotra, were no longer among the accounts he followed. Actors such as Varun Dhawan, Sidharth Malhotra, Malaika Arora and Ananya Panday were also absent from the list. Observers also pointed out that Karan had unfollowed Kartik Aaryan, who is set to star in his upcoming production,
While many familiar Bollywood faces disappeared from his following list, Karan continues to follow a select group of accounts. Among the notable names still on the list are Priyanka Chopra, Dharma Productions CEO Apoorva Mehta and businessman Adar Poonawalla.
Social media strategy or personal reset?
Adding another layer to the discussion, a report by Filmfare cited sources claiming that the unfollowing spree was part of a broader social media strategy. "Karan Johar will be unfollowing his following list because of a social media strategy. It has nothing to do with any particular star, page or person," as per the source.
Not the first time he's stepped away
This is not the first occasion on which Karan has chosen to distance himself from social media. In 2022, he exited X (formerly Twitter), announcing that he wanted to create more space for positivity in his life. At the time, he said, "Making space for more positive energies only and this is step one towards that. Goodbye Twitter!”
What's next for Karan Johar?
On the professional front, Karan recently backed Ananya Panday and Lakshya starrer Chand Mera Dil. While the film generated attention ahead of its release, it received a mixed response at the box office.
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