Karan Johar reveals he will never invite Virat Kohli to Koffee With Karan. Here's why

Filmmaker and television host Karan Johar has finally addressed a question that fans have been asking for years — why Indian cricket captain Virat Kohli has never appeared on his celebrity chat show, Koffee With Karan.

In a recent conversation with tennis star Sania Mirza, Johar revealed that his decision stems from a major controversy that once engulfed the show and the cricketing world alike.

“I have never asked Virat for the show. After what happened with Hardik Pandya and KL Rahul, I am not asking any cricketer,” Johar admitted. “There are many people who I felt would not come, so I never asked them.”

Johar’s revelation refers to the infamous 2019 episode featuring Indian cricketers Hardik Pandya and KL Rahul, which turned into one of the most talked-about controversies in the show’s history.

During the episode, Pandya made a series of sexist and inappropriate remarks about women, boasting about his nightlife and relationships in a way that drew widespread outrage. His comments were condemned as misogynistic, sparking furious reactions on social media, in news outlets, and among cricket fans.

What happened in the Koffee With Karan episode with Hardik Pandya and KL Rahul?

KL Rahul appeared on the celebrity talk show Koffee With Karan alongside his teammate and all-rounder Hardik Pandya.

Over the course of the hour-long episode, the two cricketers discussed their personal lives, from relationships and crushes to their favourite films, actors, and actresses.

Pandya’s remarks, however, quickly drew attention for all the wrong reasons. “When I lost my virginity, I came home and said, ‘Main karke aya hai aaj (I had sex today)’. At a party my parents asked me ‘acha tera wala (women) kaun sa hai [who is your interest here?] so I said yeh, yeh, yeh (pointing out women)’ and they were like ‘waah proud of you beta’,” Pandya boasted.

He went on to add, “I like to watch and observe how they (women) move. I’m little from the black side so I need to see how they move,” when host Karan Johar asked why he doesn’t ask women for their names in nightclubs.

Later in the conversation, when Johar asked what happens when both cricketers like the same woman, Rahul replied calmly, “Upto the woman.”

Pandya, however, interrupted with, “Nahi nahi aisa kuch nahi hai, talent pe hota hai. Jisko mila woh leke jao. It is on talent.”

While Rahul maintained composure throughout the interview and chose his words carefully, Pandya appeared far less measured, often getting carried away and seemingly unaware of the gravity of his statements. The tone of his comments, widely criticised as sexist and inappropriate, ultimately led to one of the biggest controversies in Koffee With Karan’s history.

The backlash was swift and severe. The Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI) issued show-cause notices to both Pandya and Rahul, and they were suspended from the Indian national team pending an inquiry. The controversy not only embarrassed the cricketing establishment but also forced both players to issue public apologies.

Rahul later reflected on the incident, admitting that the suspension was emotionally difficult and a turning point in his career. “It was a huge shock,” he had said at the time, acknowledging that the episode taught him to be more careful about his words and conduct in public.

The scandal left an indelible mark on Koffee With Karan. Since the Pandya–Rahul episode, no cricketer has been invited to the show, as Johar continues to exercise caution when selecting guests from outside the film industry.

Koffee With Karan, known for its glitzy set, rapid-fire rounds, and celebrity confessions, has hosted the biggest names in Bollywood, from Shah Rukh Khan and Deepika Padukone to Alia Bhatt and Ranveer Singh.

However, the 2019 controversy served as a rare instance where the show’s trademark irreverence spiralled into national backlash.