Hyderabad: 

Bollywood filmmaker Karan Johar addressed the criticism surrounding his production Nadaaniyan, which marked the acting debut of Saif Ali Khan's son, Ibrahim Ali Khan. The movie also stars Boney Kapoor's daughter, Khushi Kapoor. The film, released on Netflix on March 7, faced backlash for its "cringe-worthy" dialogues and underwhelming performances, leading to widespread trolling on social media.

During the trailer launch event of his upcoming Punjabi production, Akaal, Karan Johar responded to the negative reviews and the trolling of the film's young lead actors.

Karan Johar on Nadaaniyan Backlash:

He acknowledged the harsh reviews from critics but maintained that he respects their opinions. "My relationship with the critics never changes towards them according to their reviews. That is your work. I don't have any conspiracy theory that they are doing it deliberately to bring down the film," he said.

When asked about the strong criticism directed at Nadaaniyan, Karan Johar quoted a famous line from an old Bollywood song: "Kuch toh log kahenge, logon ka kaam hai kehna... chhodo bekaar ki baatein, beet na jaaye raina (People will always talk; it's their job to do so. Let go of unnecessary chatter before the night slips away)."

However, Karan differentiated between critics and trolls, stating that online trolls often express personal frustrations through negative comments. "Kabhi kabhi trollers karte hain, voh bhi benaam log hai, bechare unka apna problem hai, voh hum par nikal rahe hain. Unke liye mujhe bas taras aata hai aur kuch nahi (Sometimes, trolls do these things, but they are nameless people, poor souls who are venting their own problems on us. I only feel pity for them, nothing else," he said.

He also addressed the extreme reactions some critics had towards the film. "I genuinely respect all the critics. But when you read certain things, you think they are someone's daughter and son, their parents also read those things. A critic wrote 'I want to kick this film.' I have a problem with those people who write this," Karan added.

While defending the film, Karan Johar also injected some humour into his response. Referencing the titles of some of his films, he said, "Aapki raaye hai, hum accept karte hain. Humari bhi Nadaaniyan hai, kabhi Gustakhiyan hain, toh kabhi Gehraiyaan hain. (You have your opinions, and we accept them. We too have our moments of naivety, some missteps, and at times, even deep emotions)."

His witty remark was met with cheers from the audience. He concluded by stating that the way people criticise a film often reflects more on them than on the project itself.

About Nadaaniyan:

Directed by Shauna Gautam in her directorial debut, Nadaaniyan is a teen romantic comedy that features Ibrahim Ali Khan and Khushi Kapoor in lead roles. Despite high expectations, the film was met with negative reviews, with critics and audiences criticising its dialogues and the performances of its lead actors.

Apart from Ibrahim and Khushi, the film features Archana Puran Singh, Meezaan Jafri, Dia Mirza, Jugal Hansraj, Suniel Shetty, and Mahima Chaudhry in pivotal roles. Despite the star-studded cast, the movie failed to impress viewers.

Karan Johar's First Punjabi Production – Akaal:

At the same event, Karan Johar also spoke about his next project, Akaal, which marks his debut as a producer in Punjabi cinema. Directed by Gippy Grewal, the film stars Nimrat Khaira, Nikitin Dheer, and Gurpreet Ghuggi in key roles.

Sharing his excitement about the project on Instagram, Karan wrote: "Our happy faces lapping up all the excitement that you guys showed for our collaboration - AKAAL! Standing tall on the cusp of changing horizons of films - marking our entrance into Punjabi cinema with the strongest, kindest & warmest hands to guide us through - @gippygrewal and team.

Thank you for being our pillars of strength, we cannot wait to experience this magic with you. It’s true, sacche Punjabi logon ke dil bohot bade hote hai...aur humein iss dil mein aur aapke cinema gharon mein jagah dene ke liye bohot bohot shukriya!"

Akaal is set for a worldwide theatrical release on April 10 in both Punjabi and Hindi.

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