Sometimes a release calendar does what years of working together cannot: make a close Bollywood family go silent. On the latest episode of Koffee With Karan Season 9, Varun Dhawan and Janhvi Kapoor unpacked the 2023 scheduling clash that briefly put them on opposite sides of Karan Johar.
What happened with the two release dates
Nitesh Tiwari’s Bawaal was originally set to premiere on Amazon Prime Video on July 27, 2023. Karan Johar’s Rocky Aur Rani Kii Prem Kahaani was due in cinemas the following day, July 28. Karan recalled that the issue was not just the dates but the uncertainty before them. “You weren’t announcing your date and I had to come because there are no dates,” he said. When Bawaal landed on the date, he stopped replying to calls and messages.
The personal fallout
Varun described the bond as paternal, which is why he called Karan a “child” — and he says he still stands by the remark. Karan said there was real pain, and he was especially hurt by the message telling him to stop “acting like a child.” Janhvi said the silence took a physical toll: she became six kilos heavier while they were not talking, and started losing the weight after the fight was resolved. Karan even compared his fallout with Janhvi to a breakup.
How they made peace
The reset began with the release date. Varun changed Bawaal’s date and later worked his way back into Karan’s birthday celebration. Janhvi was initially hesitant because she did not feel appropriately dressed, but she went after Varun pushed. Karan recalled the reconciliation: “Then I cried, and she cried and we became okay.” Varun also joked that during the fallout, Karan sounded like Amitabh Bachchan’s character from Kabhi Khushi Kabhie Gham.
The timeline fans should know
- July 27, 2023: Bawaal was originally set for Amazon Prime Video.
- July 28, 2023: Rocky Aur Rani Kii Prem Kahaani was set for theatres.
- The silence: Karan stopped responding and Varun called him a child.
- The fix: Varun changed the date, brought Janhvi to Karan’s birthday, and they reconciled.
Release-date collisions are usually covered as business news — who moved, who blinked, who got the better window. This conversation shows the emotional layer behind that business: close creative relationships can absorb professional shocks, but only if someone is willing to change the plan and show up.
Source: Bollywood Hungama