There are a few crucial, unspoken things upon which any good friend group hinges. A particular shared history, trauma bond, common enemy, an annual trip, a shared commute, a favourite bar, perhaps even a pair that resists the desire to get together for the wellbeing of the group. The possibilities are varied and endless, but its importance to the group cannot be overstated. For my friend group, that thing might be Koffee with Karan.
Karan Joharâs cult chat show, which debuted in 2004, brought celebrities onto his couch and into our homes. To be a fan of Koffee with Karan is not simply to be a viewer of a talk show but to understand its phenomenology.Â
This is a career milestone for so many young actors. They make their Koffee debut. With no live studio audience, and (I say this with utmost romanticisation) no publicists to remind them to think before speaking, the series has given us controversy and sound bytes that have not simply observed culture but shaped it. From nepotism to which actor should endorse a condom brand, to which onscreen pairingsânamed for the sake of a gameâresulted in marriages and children.
The show is deeply ingrained in the culture of my friend group. Every so often when Iâm too busy to text back, my best friend hits me with a trusty âHey SJ, underwater or what?â (IYKYK). When the new season was announced, the group chat was abuzz. But when we learned this would be the showâs final season, calendars were cleared and we gathered to watch together.
As we savour these final moments, here is every thought we had while watching the first episode of Koffee with Karanâs final season.
