Karan Johar reveals the reason for quitting twitter; says, “I’m not going back on this platform for anything”

Filmmaker Karan Johar has opened up about his decision to depart from the social media platform Twitter, now referred to as X. Johar, who left Twitter in October of the previous year, initially cited his desire to make room for more positive energies as the reason for his departure. However, in a recent interview, he candidly shared the true motivation behind his exit: the hurtful and abusive messages targeting his children, Yash and Roohi.

Speaking to Mid-Day, Karan Johar acknowledged that he was willing to overlook abusive comments directed at himself and even derogatory remarks concerning his mother. Yet, he drew the line when it came to his children being dragged into online vitriol. When he made the decision to leave Twitter, his twins, Yash and Roohi, were just five years old. Johar explained, “That (quitting Twitter) was an instinctive decision I made when I started reading abuse to my children. When that happened… this is the lowest you could get. Abuse me, say what you want. They also abused my mother. My mother is still an older person. My children were five at that time, when I took the decision. Now, I’m not going back on this platform for anything. Of course, my company is on it. I realise the importance of Twitter. But I don’t want to be on this platform. I don’t want to read anything about my children. That breaks my heart not only as a parent, but also as a human being.”

Karan Johar clarified that his exit from Twitter was unrelated to allegations of nepotism, which have been a topic of discussion in the industry. He emphasized that he has not stopped working with individuals from the industry and that he continues to collaborate with talents like Alia Bhatt. The decision, according to him, solely revolved around protecting his children from online harassment. “It’s not that I’ve stopped casting people from the industry. Or I’ve isolated myself from the sheer wonderful-ness of Alia Bhatt. I have not listened to anyone. I’ve just left a platform. That had nothing to do with the things I was saying. It was about my kids. I couldn’t read that. Whoever is a parent would know that is something you wouldn’t take. You’d take anything, but anything against your child, you can’t take. And I don’t know who to fight, right? They’re nameless, faceless people. I’d rather just exit,” Karan Johar asserted.

Speaking of his work commitments, Karan Johar recently returned to direction after seven years with Rocky Aur Rani Kii Prem Kahaani, starring Ranveer Singh and Alia Bhatt. The film is declared as a box office success with it also garnering immense love for its portrayal of some unconventional subjects. Furthermore, it also features veteran stars like Jaya Bachchan, Dharmendra, and Shabana Azmi in lead roles, along with other actors like Kshitee Jog, Anjal Anand, Aamir Bashir, Churni Ganguly, Tota Roy Chowdhury, among others in pivotal roles. The film released on July 28.

Also Read: Karan Johar reveals that Alia Bhatt’s saree-clad character in Rocky Aur Rani Kii Prem Kahaani was derived from real-life journalist Poonam Saxena