India, May 28 -- Something unusual is happening on Karan Johar's Instagram, and Bollywood fans have noticed it almost immediately. The filmmaker, known for being one of the industry's most socially connected personalities, has reportedly unfollowed several major Bollywood celebrities, triggering widespread speculation online. Among the names no longer appearing on Johar's following list are Shah Rukh Khan, Ananya Panday, Kartik Aaryan and designer Manish Malhotra, all of whom have shared close professional or personal ties with him over the years.

Even more surprising for fans, several actors often described as Johar's closest industry circle, including Alia Bhatt, Varun Dhawan, Sidharth Malhotra, Kareena Kapoor Khan and Malaika Arora, a...