Filmmaker Karan Johar addressed the online hate he receives for his friendship with Alia Bhatt. He said that he has “genuine” love for Alia and he will never shy away from saying it out loud in the public. They are currently working together on Karan’s upcoming film Rocky Aur Rani Ki Prem Kahani. While interacting with RJ Siddharth Kannan, Karan said, “Alia and I just make each other cry. I see a lot of hate for the relationship that both of us share. I don’t know why people get so annoyed. I am allowed to love somebody from my heart.” Even before his twins, Yash and Roohi, were born, Karan had expressed his parental feelings towards Alia. Now, the filmmaker said that Alia was “the first person about whom (he) felt parental.” He added that he admires Alia. He also made it clear that he would never mince words when it comes to expressing his love for her. “I am allowed to say what I want to say about her. So if I cry on her good news and I feel too good, then I am allowed to. I am like a parent to her. I genuinely love her and I want to say it all the time.” Karan Johar launched Alia Bhatt in the movies with his 2012 romantic-comedy Student of the Year. The duo have often worked together since. Recently, when Alia’s Netflix film Darlings started streaming, KJo applauded it on social media and gave it ‘5 stars’.