Karan Johar Calls Netflix Series Adolescence A Wake-Up Call For Parents...But Why?

Karan Johar, a renowned filmmaker, while talking about the Netflix series Adolescence, called it a huge wake-up call for parents. The question is: What made him say that? Read further.

Series Plot

Adolescence is a British crime miniseries that premiered on platforms like Netflix in March 2025. The story revolves around a teen, Jamie, who is accused of murdering his classmate. The series shows how social media affects teens in certain ways, and the role models they follow are quite alarming.

The Alarming Impact of Social Media on Teens

Social media is a massive space filled with opportunities. One can easily showcase their talent on this platform, but with every opportunity comes risk—especially when surrounded by all kinds of people in our society. Our children, specifically teens and tweens, become easy targets.

There have been incidents where teens committed crimes after watching TV shows. In 2016, a group of teenagers in Delhi executed a robbery by imitating the actions of the characters, thinking they would have an easy escape, but they were caught by the police shortly after.

Apart from this, one infamous incident took place—four students from Visakhapatnam went missing after being inspired by the movie Lucky Bhaskar. It is said they stayed in the vicinity of a school hostel but disappeared on a Monday morning.

Read: OMG! 4 Students Went Missing After Being Inspired By This Movie

CCTV footage showed the boys climbing over the hostel gates carrying bags. Before leaving, they had informed their friends that they wouldn’t return until they made enough money to buy cars and houses, just like the character did in the film.

A Concerned Father

Karan Johar, being a father of two beautiful children, showcased his concerns by saying that we, as parents, should reflect on our parenting skills and prepare ourselves for this modern era. He added, "It is more than just a series; it is a mirror for all of us and a lesson to reflect on."

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Johar also pointed out the contrasting factors between his childhood and today’s world, stating that he grew up with conversations, books, and self-discovery, while today's teens are surrounded by comparisons, bullying, and toxic masculinity. This can’t be more true. As parents, we are navigating through complexities, yet our children are on the same page. Taking care of their mental and physical needs is our duty.

Especially in today’s world, which presents new challenges daily, everything is dynamic—nothing remains the same. From technology to communication styles, everything keeps changing, and we should be ready to dive in.