Karan Johar speaks up on Shah Rukh Khan's Koffee hiatus: Will approach when the time is right

In a recent revelation, renowned filmmaker Karan Johar spilled the beans about the absence of Bollywood's beloved superstar Shah Rukh Khan from the latest season of the widely acclaimed celebrity chat show, Koffee with Karan Season 8. Shah Rukh, a regular on the show in previous seasons, has chosen to keep a distance in recent times.

Karan, expressing his understanding and respect for Shah Rukh Khan's decision, shared that he plans to approach the megastar when the "time is right." At a Koffee With Karan event in Mumbai, the filmmaker emphasized the deep bond they share, stating, "I just know if there is any megastar who has earned his right to speak when he needs to, it is Shah Rukh Khan. I, of all the people, have been his closest friend and family and should understand that."

Acknowledging his special relationship with Shah Rukh, Karan explained that he refrained from asking him to appear on the show because he sensed Shah Rukh's reluctance. "I can ask him and request him, and he has never said no to me. So, I never asked because I know he didn’t want to be in that situation of dilemma, where he has to say no to me. I pick and choose what I ask for," Karan added.

Looking forward to the day when Shah Rukh Khan graces the show again, Karan stated, "When the right time is there, I will ask him. I know when he has to want to speak, he will. When he does, it’ll be extraordinary because no one gives interviews better than Shah Rukh Khan. Nobody speaks better than him."

Despite the absence of Shah Rukh from Koffee with Karan Season 8, Karan emphasized that their daily interactions keep their friendship intact. "I don’t miss him that way, because I have ‘Koffee with Karan’ with him every night. Almost every evening, Shah Rukh, Gauri (Khan, wife), his family and I meet. I’m having those conversations. I understand why you might miss him, but I’m satiated because he’s a big, huge part of my existence," Karan concluded.

While the current season featured notable guests like Ranveer Singh, Deepika Padukone, Sunny Deol, Bobby Deol, Sara Ali Khan, Ananya Panday, Alia Bhatt, Kareena Kapoor, Siddharth Malhotra, Varun Dhawan, Rani Mukherji, and Kajol, the anticipation for the next episode featuring Kiara Advani and Vicky Kaushal continues to build.