Yesteryear actor Sharmila Tagore’s entry onto Koffee with Karan’s famous couch marked a sizable shift from the tyranny of the usual suspects — Arjun Kapoor is always there, regardless of whether he’s acted in a film that year or not. As is Aditya Roy Kapoor, presumably there to talk about his relationships. Then there are always the debutantes, whose careers are being backed by the director-producer in some shape or form.
The conversations are the same. There are a few laughs here and there, but for the most part, the viewer is taking back nothing about the industry, or the actors. Johar has long defended this, a staunch upholder of the show’s fun and frivolous nature. But fun and frivolous doesn’t mean stale. And that’s what Koffee with Karan is becoming.
In a day and age where older actors are gaining a new lease of life, it’s perplexing to see Johar not capitalise on the changing nature of fame — especially because he seems hellbent on staying relevant. Zeenat Aman’s Instagram opened up an entire universe, allowing her to invent and reinvent herself, all the while acquiring a brand new fanbase. She even acted in an advertisement with Janhvi Kapoor. Both were dressed similarly, and both were projected as it-girls.
There is a possibility that Dharmatic Entertainment sees only the youth as its target audience. And hence a preference for the present generation of stars.
Don’t ignore new old actors
OTT platforms, the growing influence of which Bollywood cannot and should not ignore, have also allowed older actors to move beyond convention and explore a spectrum of roles that would’ve previously been unavailable to them. An industry that has long been unapologetically ageist appears to be changing, with Johar himself casting three older actors in his 2023 blockbuster, Rocky Aur Rani Kii Prem Kahaani — which consisted of Shabana Azmi and Dharmendar’s now notorious kissing scene. That’s why it’s perplexing to see him ignore an entire section of Bollywood on a show that is supposed to be a metric of fame and success, and instead focus largely on actors who are simply coasting.
Johar has been juggling with the Kapoors and the Khans and the Bachchans for nearly two decades now. So much so that viewers could play a quiz asking if a certain someone sat on the couch last season or not.
Also read: Karan Johar is going on about nepotism in every KWK episode. It’s a masterclass in PR
Bring more grace on the ‘Koffee’ couch
It’s not as if actors are divulging any secrets on the couch. Every sentence appears to be an exercise in PR, and the younger lot, in particular, is keen on being taken seriously. But there’s a new old generation of actors brewing, who’ve seen the industry go through various precipitous changes, are more immune to pressure, and will consequently be more candid. So why not showcase the contrast? Bring more grace onto the gaudy couch?
Tagore was reasonably candid on the show, talking about the scandal that ensued after she put on a bikini for her 1967 film, An Evening in Paris, alongside ’60s heartthrob Shammi Kapoor.
Fifty-six years on, not much progress has been made. Bikini controversies are all the rage even today, with Deepika Padukone’s saffron bikini in Pathaan (2023) inviting calls for boycott and even death threats.
The more things change, the more they remain the same. Who better to explain the jarring contradictions and complexities of Bollywood than those who’ve seen it all? Koffee with Karan, on the other hand, has been consistent over the last many seasons — the coffee’s lukewarm, milky, and way too sweet.
(Edited by Zoya Bhatti)