Mumbai: Filmmaker and producer Karan Johar has decided to step away from social media for a short while. Only days after the official Oscar submission of Homebound by India did not get through to the final nominations in the 98th Academy Awards, Johar declared that he would be taking a one week digital detox to get offline.
The announcement came on Tuesday, January 27, through Johar’s Instagram Stories. In a brutally honest and relatable post, the head of Dharma Productions expressed that he would like to avoid scrolling and chatting on the internet on a couple of days. While he did not directly connect the break to the Oscar news, the timing has caught everyone’s attention.
“No Doom Scrolling”: Karan Johar Explains His Digital Detox
Karan Johar wrote on Instagram, “Digital Detox for a week! No doom scrolling! No DMs! No posts! May the universe give me the strength to stay away!!!!” He also made it clear that during this time he will not be scrolling through his feed or replying to messages.
The term doom scrolling has become common in recent years and refers to endlessly consuming negative or stressful news online. According to the post by Johar, it appears that he made an active attempt of preserving his mental space and concentrating on the real life without being distracted by digital noise all the time.
The filmmaker also wished his followers a Happy Republic Day by posting videos of Alia Bhatt and Sidharth Malhotra in their patriotic movies before his break. It was a quiet sign off before going offline for the week.
Homebound Misses Oscar Nomination But Johar Stands Firm
The social media break comes soon after the Oscar setback for Homebound, a social drama directed by Neeraj Ghaywan and backed by Karan Johar. The movie already generated a great buzz since it was selected as one of 15 finalists in December, which gave it hope of a nomination in the Best International Feature Film category.
However, when the final five nominees were announced on January 22, Homebound did not make the cut. Despite the disappointment, Johar publicly showed his support for Ghaywan. In a post last week, he complimented the director and called Homebound as one of the most important and best movies in India ever. He further wrote that he was proud to support the film and its vision.
While Johar has not said that the Oscar outcome led to his digital detox, his mention of avoiding doom scrolling hints at wanting distance from online reactions and debates.
A Busy Phase For Karan Johar Beyond Social Media
Even as he steps away from Instagram, Karan Johar remains in a professionally busy phase. He recently celebrated the box office success of two major Bollywood releases, Ranveer Singh’s Dhurandhar and Sunny Deol’s Border 2. Johar discussed Bollywood’s resurgence in a video posted previously and was passionate about the future of movies that connect with the heart of viewers. He also defended himself by saying that Hindi cinema is highly reemerging.
Apart from films, Johar was recently seen hosting a grand session celebrating Rani Mukerji’s 30 years in the film industry. The event was organised by Yash Raj Films and marked a major milestone in the actress’s career. Johar also had something to say of the next crime drama of Rani, Mardaani 3, saying it was one of the most anticipated films ever.
Since Karan Johar takes an interim break with social media, his digital detox is not a retreat, but a conscious break. Whether it is to process disappointment, celebrate success, or simply breathe, the filmmaker’s move reflects a growing trend among celebrities choosing balance over constant online presence.
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