Koffee with Karan to return with new flavour

(Rachana Dubey, Hindustan Times)

In October last year, talks for the fourth season of the celebrity chat show, Koffee With Karan, with producer-director Karan Johar were initiated. Then in December, the host had admitted that he was approached by Star World to anchor the show. But he had refused to comment on when it was likely to return. Now, the 39-year-old says, “Koffee will be back in June. We don’t have a fixed date yet, but I’m on schedule and we’ll roll soon.”

Koffee with KaranThe show is expected to take up the 9 pm slot on Sunday, soon after the fifth edition of the Indian Premier League comes to an end. “Right now, I’m working on Student Of The Year. We’re through with most of it. I’m extremely excited about this film because I’m launching new faces for the first time as a director. It should be out by September this year,” says Karan, adding with a laugh, “And who knows, by then my newbies — Varun Dhawan, Siddharth Malhotra and Alia Bhatt — may have become celebrities. Then, even they will qualify to be my guests.”

Koffee With Karan season three ended on April 17 last year, after a broadcast of about 22 fresh episodes and a few repeats. Back then, Karan had stated that he had no interest in anchoring the show again.

He had said, “We should just leave Koffee With Karan where it is. Every show must have a finite run, and should end on a great note. We’ve had three successful seasons. Instead of doing season four, I’d like the audience to remember me as the host of three unforgettable editions.”

But now, the filmmaker admits he’s charged and ready to return to the small screen, as the channel has been inundated with requests to bring the show back.

“It’s humbling. Once I’m through with the shoot for Student Of The Year, I’ll start working on the guest-list for this season,” he says, adding, “I haven’t seen too many new stars. So, more or less, it will be the same faces, maybe in different combinations, because they’re all my friends and colleagues. The Koffee hamper will be back too, but I can promise we’ll devise a new format this time.”