Karan Johar Unfollowed Shah Rukh Khan, Alia Bhatt, And Others On Instagram: Here Is Why

Mumbai, May 29 - Filmmaker Karan Johar left Bollywood fans stunned after eagle-eyed social media users noticed that he had unfollowed several celebrities on Instagram, including superstar Shah Rukh Khan. The sudden move quickly became a major talking point online, with fans speculating about possible fallout and tension within Bollywood circles.

Apart from Shah Rukh Khan, Karan Johar also reportedly unfollowed several major Bollywood names, including Alia Bhatt, Kareena Kapoor Khan, Kajol, Malaika Arora, Ananya Panday, Kartik Aaryan, Varun Dhawan, Sidharth Malhotra, Manish Malhotra and even members of the Khan family such as Gauri Khan, Aryan Khan and Suhana Khan.

The development first gained traction after Reddit users noticed changes in Karan Johar's following list and began sharing screenshots online. Social media platforms were soon flooded with theories ranging from friendship issues to professional differences and PR strategies. What made the situation even more surprising for fans was Karan Johar and Shah Rukh Khan’s long-standing bond.

The duo shares one of the most iconic friendships in Bollywood history. Shah Rukh Khan played the lead in several of Karan Johar's biggest films, including Kuch Kuch Hota Hai, Kabhi Khushi Kabhie Gham, Kabhi Alvida Naa Kehna and My Name Is Khan. Over the years, Karan has repeatedly credited Shah Rukh for shaping his filmmaking journey and career.

As speculation intensified, Karan Johar finally addressed the controversy through his Instagram Story and dismissed all rumours of fallout. The filmmaker clarified that the mass unfollowing was simply part of a "digital detox." He wrote, "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!"

His statement, however, did little to stop online discussions. Many social media users questioned why unfollowing people was necessary for a digital detox, while others believed it was simply a social media strategy or public reset. Reddit discussions were filled with mixed reactions, with some users calling it a "PR move" and others describing it as attention-grabbing behaviour.

Another detail that caught attention was that actress Priyanka Chopra reportedly continued to remain on Karan Johar's following list despite several other celebrities being removed. This sparked even more speculation online. According to reports, the move was part of a planned "social media strategy" and had nothing to do with personal disputes or issues with any actor.