Karan Johar vs CarryMinati: Court Restrains YouTuber Over Alleged Fefamatory Roast Video, Orders Content Removal – Woman’s era Magazine
Filmmaker Karan Johar’s long-running experience with online trolling escalated into a legal battle after he filed a defamation suit against popular YouTuber CarryMinati, whose real name is Ajey Nagar, over a roast video that allegedly crossed legal limits. The case has now resulted in a court order restraining the YouTuber from posting or circulating defamatory content against the filmmaker.
The controversy began when CarryMinati uploaded a roast video titled Coffee With Jalan, widely seen as a spoof of Johar’s celebrity talk show Koffee With Karan. The video included commentary on Bollywood’s nepotism culture and reportedly used language that Johar’s legal team described as abusive and objectionable. According to court records, Johar argued that the content targeted him personally and harmed his reputation, prompting him to seek legal intervention.
The case was heard by a Mumbai court, where Judge Pandurang Bhosale observed that there was a prima facie case suggesting defamatory statements had been made. The court granted an ad-interim injunction, restraining CarryMinati and his associates from uploading, sharing, or circulating similar content in the future. It also directed social media intermediaries, including Meta Platforms, to ensure that the allegedly defamatory material was removed and not re-uploaded.
In his plea, Johar reportedly stated that the roast video had amassed millions of views before being deleted and that short clips and derivative content continued to circulate across social media platforms, causing ongoing damage to his public image. He maintained that the remarks went beyond satire and amounted to personal attacks using vulgar language.
CarryMinati’s legal team, however, contested the urgency of the suit. They argued that the original video had already been taken down voluntarily and claimed that Johar pursued legal action without allowing the YouTuber an opportunity to clarify his intent or address concerns directly. Despite this argument, the court issued directions to prevent further dissemination of similar content and ensure compliance across platforms.
The ruling highlights ongoing tensions between online content creators and public figures over the boundaries of parody, satire, and defamation. Roast videos have become a popular format on Indian YouTube, often blending humour with criticism of celebrities and cultural issues. However, legal disputes have increasingly emerged when content is perceived to cross into personal attacks or reputational harm.
Johar, who has frequently been the subject of memes and criticism online, has previously addressed trolling related to debates around nepotism in Bollywood. This case marks a rare instance where such online commentary has resulted in formal legal action and a court injunction.
