Koffee with Karan 9: Karan Johar just delivered the best episode of the last season of his chat show, redeeming it from the first two lacklustre episodes. Unlike Salman Khan, Varun Dhawan and Janhvi Kapoor can’t always get away with deceptive diplomacy, disguised as dabangg directness. And unlike Vijay Deverakonda and Rashmika Mandanna, they don’t feel the need to team up against the world , who’s mostly judging them for a show that’s designed to put you through the wringer. They’ve grown up — Janhvi more than Varun — on the winking overtones of the talk show since its inception in 2004. And more than that, they fall under the big bracket of actors the host is infamous for handling rather tactfully — nepo babies.

Keep that nepotism flag flying

Ever since Kangana Ranaut labelled Karan the “flag-bearer of nepotism” in Bollywood on the Koffee couch back in 2017 during her last appearance on season 5, the filmmaker has owned that reputation.…