Highlights:
- Virat Kohli never on Koffee With Karan
- Karan says he didn’t ask after 2019 episode
- Hardik Pandya and KL Rahul episode triggered controversy
- Cricketers not invited anymore
Karan Johar finally opened up about why Virat Kohli has never landed on the Koffee With Karan couch, and honestly, it all comes down to that infamous episode with Hardik Pandya and KL Rahul back in 2019. Talking with Sania Mirza on her podcast, Karan admitted he hasn’t invited Virat, or any other cricketer since that fallout.
Virat Kohli has never appeared on Koffee With Karan Getty Images
Why Karan Johar hasn’t asked Virat Kohli
He said straight out, “I have never asked Virat. And now, I’m not asking any cricketers after what happened with Hardik and KL Rahul.” Hardik Pandya and KL Rahul were on the show in 2019 and their appearance led to a huge controversy. Their comments caused trouble and the episode was taken down from Disney+ Hotstar. Both players were suspended before a match against Australia. Karan said he felt bad. He didn’t think the comments would lead to that much noise.
How this affects Koffee With Karan guests
He explained that the show’s light, candid vibe works for film stars, but not everyone’s ready for that, especially athletes who aren’t used to the spotlight in the same way. After Hardik and KL Rahul’s episode turned into a cautionary tale, Karan decided to keep cricketers, and most non-film personalities off his guest list. Now, the show mostly has Bollywood stars. Karan says hosting also comes with a lot of responsibility.
For now, Virat Kohli has not been on the show. Anushka Sharma, his wife, has shown up more than once, but Karan’s not about to risk another cricket controversy. He seems comfortable sticking to film stars, at least for now and fans will just have to keep guessing if they’ll ever see a cricketer on the show again.
She married Sanjay Khan in 1966Getty Images
