‘My home not a hotspot, dinner was not a party’: Karan Johar tests negative

After Kareena Kapoor Khan, Amrita Arora , Seema Khan, and Maheep Kapoor tested positive for the novel coronavirus, reports suggested that they had attended a dinner party at filmmaker Karan Johar ’s residence on 8 December. On Wednesday, Karan announced that he and his family members have tested negative for the COVID-19. He took to Instagram and clarified that he did not throw any ‘party’ but only hosted an ‘intimate gathering’ for eight people, and has been following all protocols. His note read, “My family and I and everyone at home have done their RTPCR tests and with the grace of God we are all negative. In fact, I tested twice just to be safe and am negative. I truly appreciate the grandest efforts of the BMC to ensure the safety of our city. Salute to them. To some members of the media, I would like to clarify that an 8 people intimate gathering is not a ‘party.’ And my home which we maintain strict protocols in is certainly no ‘hotspot’ of covid.”

The note further read, “All of us are responsible and masked at all times and no one would treat this pandemic lightly. My request to certain members of the media is to exercise some restraint in their extreme reportage without the assessment of facts! Lots of love and safety to all. Karan Johar.” On Tuesday, the Brihanmumbai Municipal Corporation (BMC) sanitised Kareena’s apartment complex and has sealed the building. Karan’s apartment complex was also sanitised. Kareena’s spokesperson clarified that she was at an intimate dinner where she might have caught the virus. The spokesperson said, “Kareena has been extremely responsible throughout the lockdown period. She has been careful every time she’s stepped out. Unfortunately, this time she and Amrita Arora contracted Covid at an intimate dinner where a few friends had gathered to catch up. It wasn’t a big party as being reported. Among that group, there was one person who seemed unwell and was coughing, and who eventually passed it on. This person should have been responsible enough to not attend the dinner and put others at risk.” Other guests at Karan Johar’s dinner included actor Alia Bhatt, Kareena’s sister Karisma Kapoor, Amrita’s sister Malaika Arora and Malaika’s boyfriend Arjun Kapoor. Karan Johar recently wrapped the Delhi schedule of his next film Rocky Aur Rani Ki Prem Kahaani. The film stars Alia Bhatt and Ranveer Singh.