'This can’t be national news, it’s a digital detox': Karan Johar on unfollowing Shah Rukh Khan, Alia Bhatt & co.

After sending shockwaves through Bollywood by unfollowing actors like Shah Rukh Khan, Alia Bhatt, Ananya Panday and Kartik Aaryan, celebrated filmmaker Karan Johar shut down the drama by saying, “This can’t be national news.”

While his sudden Instagram cleanup triggered massive online speculation and left fans desperately hunting for answers, the director-producer was quick to react to this buzz and cleared the air just as desperate netizens began aggressively decoding the motive behind his unexpected social media clean-up.

Apart from sharing professional achievements, Karan Johar frequently offers a peek into his private life, sharing cherished family milestones and celebrating his tight-knit industry bonds. Removing these A-listers from Instagram put the filmmaker under the radar, leading to an online debate. His sudden and shocking move quickly became a viral talking point, with netizens and industry insiders aggressively debating the motive behind the move.

The ultimate surprise for the netizens came when Priyanka Chopra was excluded from Karan Johar’s sudden Instagram cleanup. This exception further escalated the controversy, with fans and followers trying to analyse his motive behind the action.

Many debated that his decision was due to a personal disagreement, a professional fallout, or merely a new approach to his social media presence.

However, Karan Johar was quick to put an end to this mounting speculation. Clarifying his actions, Karan Johar said there was no hidden malice or controversy.

Screengrab of Karan Johar's Instagram story.

The extensive cleanup was simply part of a personal "digital detox" to combat his screen time and manage his online energy. Dismissing rumours of any friction with his industry peers, he urged everyone to stop making a big deal out of an Instagram cleanup.

While his clarification managed to cool down the initial frenzy, many still suspect there might be some smoke behind the fire. For now, the filmmaker maintains that his massive unfollow spree is solely about managing his digital energy, not distancing himself from his Bollywood circle.