Karan Johar Unfollows Alia And Kareena: Priyanka Chopra Remains Only Favorite

Renowned Bollywood filmmaker Karan Johar is currently the center of a massive social media storm. Known for his deep-rooted and long-standing friendships within the film industry, Johar has recently made drastic changes to his Instagram account that have left fans and industry insiders in a state of shock. In a sudden move, the director-producer has cleared out his following list, removing several high-profile Bollywood celebrities who were once considered his closest confidants. This digital distancing has raised many eyebrows, especially given Karan's reputation for being the ultimate industry insider who maintains close ties with almost every major star.

The Great Bollywood Unfollowing Spree

Karan Johar's Instagram activity has always been a point of interest for his 17 million followers. However, the recent purge has seen the removal of names like Shah Rukh Khan, Alia Bhatt, Kareena Kapoor Khan, and the famous designer Manish Malhotra. These individuals have not only been his professional collaborators but also his personal friends for decades. Fans were quick to notice that the list of unfollowed stars also includes Varun Dhawan, Sidharth Malhotra, Malaika Arora, and Ananya Panday. This move is particularly surprising given that Karan Johar is often credited with launching the careers of many of these actors, especially the Student of the Year trio—Alia, Varun, and Sidharth—who have always been seen as his favorites.

Shrinking Following List and Professional Ties

At one point, Karan Johar was connected to almost the entire film industry on social media. However, his following list has now shrunk to just 78 accounts. Amidst this massive change, one of the most shocking revelations was that he also unfollowed actor Kartik Aaryan. This comes at a time when Kartik is set to play the lead role in the upcoming film Naagzilla, which is being produced under Karan Johar's own banner. Social media users also pointed out that until recently, Karan was following Priyanka Chopra, which had surprised many given their history of public disagreements. Currently, the few accounts he still follows include professional associates like Apoorva Mehta, the CEO of Dharma Productions, and his business partner Adar Poonawalla.

Priyanka Chopra: The Sole Favorite and Her Bollywood Exit

The most discussed aspect of this social media stunt is that Priyanka Chopra remains the only major actress on his list who had once left Bollywood. In 2023, Priyanka Chopra made headlines when she revealed in a podcast that she was being pushed into a corner within the Indian film industry. She spoke candidly about the internal politics and groupism that made her feel exhausted and eventually led to a lack of work opportunities. This revelation sparked a massive controversy regarding nepotism and camp culture in Bollywood. Stars like Kangana Ranaut and Vivek Agnihotri came out in support of Priyanka, taking aim at powerful figures like Karan Johar.

The 2012 Feud and Priyanka's Global Success

The tension between Karan Johar and Priyanka Chopra dates back to 2012. During that time, rumors regarding the closeness between Shah Rukh Khan and Priyanka Chopra were rampant, and it was reported that Karan's close-knit circle began to sideline her. The situation escalated when a friend of Priyanka gave a statement to the media against Karan. In response, Karan Johar took to Twitter to lash out at Priyanka, even using the term backstabbing, while this internal politics and the subsequent lack of work were the primary reasons Priyanka decided to move to Hollywood. Despite the past bitterness, the two have often been seen hugging at public events, attempting to hide the underlying friction.

Priyanka's Grand Comeback and Karan's Recent Work

After a long hiatus from Indian cinema, Priyanka Chopra is now preparing for a massive comeback. She's set to star in the film The Bluff and the action thriller Heads of State, while Plus, fans are eagerly waiting for her return to Indian screens with SS Rajamouli's film Varanasi. On the other hand, Karan Johar's recent production venture, Chand Mera Dil, featuring Lakshya and Ananya Panday, recently hit theaters. The film received mixed reviews from both audiences and critics, resulting in an average performance at the box office. Whether Karan's recent social media cleanup is a new marketing strategy or a genuine distancing from the digital world remains to be seen.