‘I questioned my decision of becoming a single parent’: Karan Johar on facing the worst troll in his life; ways to navigate criticism

“When they said that, ‘Do you realise that you deprived your children of a mother?’, and that broke my heart. That made me feel like, for the first time, I questioned my decision of being a single parent. When my kids ask me where they came from, I said to them: ‘You came from Dada’s heart’. A story I couldn’t take very far because now they know the biology of it. But I believe very strongly that I can be more than a single parent, I can be their mother, their father, their everything,” the filmmaker told the journalist.

“But that comment made me question or second-guess my decision for a beat, and after I read that comment, I had a moment where I broke down sitting in my room and I just cried,” he revealed.

Karan Johar adopted 2 kids. (Source: Instagram/@karanjohar)

How can trolling impact mental health?

Muskan Marwah, Clinical Psychologist at Mpower, Aditya Birla Education Trust, told indianexpress.com that criticism can sting, especially when delivered harshly. She suggested stepping back and assessing the criticism objectively. “Ask yourself – ‘How would a calm, wise and successful person respond to this?’ Then, focus on the useful, actionable parts of the feedback while separating the tone from the message,” she said.

Negative comments can trigger anger, shame, frustration, or feelings of worthlessness. In such cases, it is essential to pause before reacting. “Few deep breaths, talking to someone wise in your circle, writing down answers to self-reflective questions, or taking a quick walk can help you to avoid overthinking about the criticism,” she said.

Ways to navigate criticism

She also said, “Ask yourself: ‘What can I learn from this? Am I reacting to the words or the way they were said?’” According to her, one should respond to disapproval with thankfulness and a humble attitude. “Find a way to thank the person for their feedback; this will signal that you are open to learning,” she said.

Rather than letting negativity derail you, treat it as a stepping stone to improvement. “Believe life is a journey of improvement, and accept criticism as a way to energise your resilient nature. If you are told off for not meeting expectations, talk to expert people about how you can advance over time,” Bhandekar said.

Bhandekar also said that gaining fresh perspectives from others helps process criticism constructively. “Ultimately, recognising that opinions will always exist—and choosing to view yourself with kindness—can prevent unnecessary self-judgment,” she said.

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