Bollywood filmmaker Karan Johar has showered praise on Netflix's much-discussed Adolescence, which turned into an instant after its premiere on the streamer — a classic case of showing up unannounced and then becoming a hot topic within days of its launch.
Taking to his Instagram handle, Karan, who is a parent to twins, thanked the show for building his awareness and, even more so, his responsibility quotient.
"I have always known that raising a child is as much a blessing as it is an arduous responsibility. No book or podcast can prepare you or teach you to be the best version of yourself as a parent. What you need to first be is the best version of yourself... the very best," he wrote.
Karan stressed the need to be cautious about what parents do and say around their children as it can all deeply influence them. "What you say, how you say it, what you feel and how you express it… your habits, your behaviour, your ideologies, your politics… Everything is eventually going to rub off on your child — they are embodiments of your soul. You may not realise the reflection but they will mirror you."
The Kabhi Kushi Kabhie Gham filmmaker called Adolescence a "loud wake-up call" to parents who are raising children in the social media era. "I grew up on conversations; they speak in emojis. I grew up on books; they scroll reels. I grew up on self discovery; they are surrounded by comparisons. The pandemic is NOW! We just don’t see it. This gut-wrenching show is more a mirror to parenting and social media commentary than anything I have a seen or been impacted by recently. The gaze of perceived masculinity. The impact of bullying. The turning a blind eye to a child's habits and patterns. This 4-episode mini series is a blasterclass for parents. The technical marvel of four ground breaking long shots moved me as a filmmaker but broke me as a parent."