Karan Johar Ends 'Koffee With Karan' After 22 Years

Karan Johar will end "Koffee With Karan" after 22 years. The celebrity chat show returns for a ninth and final season, streaming on JioHotstar from Oct. 14.

Since its debut in 2004, the show has run eight seasons and 161 episodes. On its couch, India's biggest stars have discussed friendships, romances, breakups and marriages. Many of those conversations went viral or became news in their own right.

"'Koffee With Karan' has been such a large part of my identity in the entertainment industry… I still can't believe it's been 22 years and now this will be my ninth season," Johar said.

The host called the experience deeply rewarding, but said he had reached a turning point. "I want to spend the next decade of my life directing more movies… telling many more stories… so with a heavy heart I am making this season my last," Johar said.

The show premiered on Star World in 2004, with Shah Rukh Khan and Kajol as its first guests. The first season also brought Amitabh Bachchan on with his son Abhishek Bachchan, and paired Aishwarya Rai with Sanjay Leela Bhansali. The series ran for six seasons on Star World through 2019, with its second season simulcast on Star One in 2007. By season six, episodes also streamed on Hotstar, which, like the channel, was owned by Star India. Kareena Kapoor and Kajol count among its most frequent guests.

The show has not been without controversy. In January 2019, a season six episode featuring cricketers Hardik Pandya and K.L. Rahul caused an uproar over Pandya's remarks about women. Hotstar pulled the episode from its service. The Board of Control for Cricket in India issued show-cause notices to both players and briefly suspended them from the national team.

The series' future has wavered before. In 2022, Johar posted a statement suggesting the show was over. Hours later he clarified that it was leaving television, not ending, and would move to Disney+ Hotstar as a streaming exclusive. Johar's Dharmatic Entertainment took over production from SOL India for season seven, which launched that July. Season eight opened in October 2023 with Ranveer Singh and Deepika Padukone as guests. In February 2025, Disney+ Hotstar merged with JioCinema to form JioHotstar.

Johar framed the farewell in personal terms. "This will be the last time I will be on a couch that has been synonymous with conversations, candor and well… controversies… the decision is emotional and personal to me… But I am hoping the legacy of love the show has given me continues to brew in people's hearts," he said.

Alok Jain, who leads Hindi and English entertainment business (streaming, TV and studios) at JioStar, paid tribute to the show's reach. "'Koffee With Karan' is the talk show that brought the biggest celebrities into viewers' living rooms and built a fandom that very few shows have matched. For over two decades, it has given audiences an intimate, irreverent and often unexpected glimpse into the lives of the people they love watching, becoming a part of pop culture phenomenon," Jain said. "As Karan raises the coffee mug one last time, we celebrate the extraordinary legacy of a show that has consistently delivered great content and created a lasting connection with audiences."

Johar heads Dharma Productions. His directing credits include "Kuch Kuch Hota Hai," "Kabhi Khushi Kabhie Gham" and "Rocky Aur Rani Kii Prem Kahaani." With the show's conclusion, he now signals a decade focused on filmmaking rather than hosting.