KJo turns down SRK
Despite being in Dubai on 31st night,the filmmaker chose to stay away from Khans dinner
Vickey.Lalwani @timesgroup.com
What happens in Dubai,stays in Dubai.Unless of course it is Shah Rukh Khans durbar hosted on NYE at his Palm Jumeirah address.Word just in,that the dinner held at SRKs mansion had one significant ingredient missing Karan Johar.According to sources close to the star,KJo was very much in Dubai that night,but for reasons best known to him,chose to turn down SRKs invite at the last moment.
As reported by this newspaper,KJo had been invited by both Salman Khan and SRK to their respective NYE celebrations.Well,Karan did fly down to Dubai,with his friend Manish Malhotra,but curiously enough,both of them stayed away from SRK.
A source close to the filmmaker spilled the beans: Karan did receive an invite from SRK,and for the longest time he was actually in two minds whether he should miss it or be there.For years they have ushered in the New Year together in Dubai.You can say,the tradition was broken for the first time.
The dinner,as we had reported,was a very quiet affair,with a handful of old friends and their children Boney Kapoor and Sridevi with their two daughters,Chunkey Pandey with wife Bhavna and kids,Sanjay and Maheep Kapoor with their kids and Rajiv Shukla among them.
KJo has been rather emphatic about nixing all reports of a cooling-off between him and SRK.In an interview to Mumbai Mirror he had declared: SRK,Gauri and I are one unit. But his absence from the Khan household on such a special occasion may just take the bite off his argument the next time.May be he just wanted to celebrate in his own way,or may be he could not make up his mind shrugs a source close to SRK.
With the Rampals,KJo and Manish missing from SRKs party,this 31st night could go down in pop imagination as the night when the star actually bid adieu to the old order.
Despite repeated attempts,KJo remained unavailable for comment.
'I HAVEN'T CELEBRATED NEW YEAR WITH SHAH RUKH KHAN IN THREE YEARS'
Karan Johar expresses shock at reports of trouble with the actor and his family; says they never intended to spend New Year's Eve together in Dubai
In fickle Bollywood, Shah Rukh Khan and Karan Johar's friendship is known to have stood the test of time, egos and stardom. Yet, the two made news recently with a report suggesting that the filmmaker turned down the actor's invitation on New Year's Eve (for dinner at SRK's Dubai home in Palm Jumeirah). The filmmaker, just back from Dubai, reacts, calling the report "completely rubbish".
Karan reasons, "I was in downtown Dubai while Shah Rukh was in Palm Jumeirah. We were busy in our corners of the city. And anyone who knows Dubai well can vouch for the fact that it's a nightmare to travel from downtown Dubai to Palm Jumeirah (on New Year's Eve). The area is cordoned off for the elaborate fireworks display."
Besides logistical issues, Karan also says that not all his plans revolve around Shah Rukh and his family. "I haven't celebrated New Year with SRK and family in three years, but till date, no one bothered to ask me. I wonder why I'm suddenly being questioned," Karan says.
Karan insists that "everything is fine" between SRK and himself. "They (the Khans) are family to me, and their house in Dubai is my house. I don't need an invite to go there. This time, I had gone (to Dubai) with friends like Manish (Malhotra) and Niranjan (Iyengar). So I'm surprised to read such conjectures in papers," says the filmmaker.
Karan also says that the Khans knew of his plans and he was in constant touch with Gauri Khan before they left for Dubai. "We spend 360 days in a year with each other anyway. Also, Shah Rukh and Gauri's New Year celebrations were largely meant for the kids (the children of Boney Kapoor-Sridevi, Chunkey and Bhavna Pandey, and Sanjay and Maheep Kapoor were also present along with their parents). Shah Rukh tweeted that he played soccer with Suhana till 5 am on the beach. Am I expected to go and play football? It's a very silly thing," Karan says.
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