Review Koffee with Karan : Two Thumbs Down

Last night Karan Johar once again made an appearance on our television screens promising us that the sixty minutes coffee session with his celebrity guests would not only be exciting, tacky and entertaining, but also an introduction to the newly improved, 3 kilos thinner and a much wiser host aka. Himself.

Karan with Kuch Kuch Hota Hai gang

So was Kjo, armed with his pastel shade green coffee mug (symbol of other’s jealousy, whatever!) and his favourite people able to live up to our ever-so high expectations? – Ah! I am sad to say, no. Sad because I really loved Koffee with Karan Season 1 and therefore was eagerly waiting for its next installment.

In fact, I would give last night’s episode two thumbs down in every aspect. And I have way too many reasons to do so but considering the time-constraints (prolonged office deadlines); I shall only mention the ones which really ticked me off.

Let’s start with the publicized new Koffee with Karan set design, well besides the green coffee mug everything else sucked. It seems the young director has a gone a wee-bit overboard with his love for New York City; the set instead of looking more like a jazzy, stylish lounge room appeared to be a carbon copy of a Manhattan penthouse apartment. Dark wall shades, extremely bright lights, high ceiling and a very uncomfortable looking sofa-set. Seriously, they would have been so much better off with the previous season’s design.

I understand that it’s all good and nice to be in perfect shape but I really didn’t like the 3 kilos thinner host. Karan’s face looks as if it’s been punched in from all sides and therefore no cheek bones are visible. Though I will admit, he was looking rather younger in his designer black suit-boot and colored hair dye. Moving on to the guests, Shah Rukh Khan looked dashing in the black-red combo but what the fuck is wrong with the two leading ladies of Bollywood? Kajol was dressed like she was doing an audition for a vamp’s role – really dark makeup, really white teeth and equally scary laugh. And don’t get me started on her boob-tight, dull beige with sky blue work kurti. On the other end of the couch, Rani Mukherjee looked different in a maroon gown-like dress and very mild makeup but has this woman lost too much weight or what! No exaggeration here, she actually resembled Joker (Batman’s sworn enemy) whenever she smiled.

The famous rapid fire round, this time round was the dullest and most boring segment of the entire show. Kajol took forever to answer questions, Rani was as always diplomatic and uncontroversial with her replies whereas Shah Rukh did his best to be cheeky and amusing but I guess the question list prepared by the host was the major let down in the first place.

“Karan’s Children” is the new bit that has been added to the show. Here Kjo has a fun discussion with a bunch of kids about his invited guests and I would say that this was the only worthwhile entertainment of the entire one hour. Though it is a bit shocking to see young children so into Bollywood films and movie stars, I wonder if they are equally enthusiastic talking about Kiran Bedi, Narayana Murthy, Azim Premji and the likes.

Though the host and his superstar guests did their best to look at ease and as if they were having fun, however I doubt if the same feeling was felt by thousands who were watching them do their act. Their discussions were on topics we have already heard a million times (thanks to our always intrusive mainstream media) like Shah Rukh was asked about his rift with the Bachchans, his insecurities towards other up-coming actors, Kajol on family life and missing from the Bollywood action and Rani (who kept herself more busy smiling than talking) was asked to clarify her stand on being labeled as a tantrum thrower and her film-life after Black. Most of their jokes were total bouncers (only they understood the humor portion) and I really didn’t find their cocky laughs at the expense of Rakhi Sawant and Malika Sherawat at all amusing.

Anyway, for an overall conclusion, I will say that Karan’s so called revamped Koffee was not only served cold but without all its main ingredients.