Karan Johar defends Rashmika Mandanna, Vijay Deverakonda over trolling: ‘Who are you?’

Filmmaker Karan Johar defended Rashmika Mandanna and Vijay Deverakonda against online trolling after their candid discussion on relationships during an episode of Koffee With Karan. The couple's openness about their marriage sparked criticism on social media, but Johar urged people not to dictate how a couple should conduct their marriage.

He questioned the validity of those commenting on the family members who were not part of the conversation, asking "Who are you? Are you a counsellor? Are you a lawyer? Are you a member of their family?" Karan also criticized the culture of online scrutiny, stating that celebrities' appearances were increasingly dissected for clicks, views and engagement.

He addressed the backlash faced by Deepika Padukone and Ranveer Singh in a previous season of the show, calling their criticism "downright regressive" and urging appreciation for honesty. The couple's appearance on the show marked their first public discussion about their relationship after years of keeping it private. They revealed Vijay proposing to Rashmika nearly 100 times and their engagement ring, as well as Vijay's feelings of being insulted when people assumed another ring was hers.

Both actors addressed the online criticism through their social media posts and even reported alleged harassment to the cybercrime authorities in Hyderabad.