It was 12:03 AM when Karan Johar’s post went live. A sweet birthday message to Alia Bhatt—his “eternal sunshine”—seemed innocent at first. But as fans read between the lines, the internet started to buzz. One emoji. Two words. A sea of comments.

“Double the love this year,” he wrote, followed by a heart and baby emoji.

In a world where every word is analyzed, every emoji decoded, Karan’s message was enough to send fans into a frenzy. And this wasn’t the first time. Ever since Alia Bhatt gave birth to baby Raha in November 2022, fans have watched every move she makes. But no one expected this quiet birthday greeting to become the spark for renewed pregnancy rumors.

It wasn’t just the words. It was the timing. Karan posted just after midnight, when most of the world was asleep—but fans weren’t. “Does this mean Alia is pregnant again?” a fan asked on X (formerly Twitter). Another replied, “He said ‘double’ and used a baby emoji. That’s no accident.”

Alia didn’t comment. She reposted the story with a simple “thank you” and a heart. But the silence only fueled the speculation.

By morning, hashtags like #BabyBhatt2 and #KaranHint were trending. On Instagram, fan accounts zoomed into Alia’s recent photos, looking for signs—baggy clothes, hidden angles, missing gym selfies. One photo from a few days earlier showed her shielding her stomach with a shawl. Another showed Ranbir Kapoor holding her hand tightly at the airport.

Some fans were thrilled. “Another Bhatt-Kapoor baby? YES PLEASE!” one user wrote. Others were skeptical. “Let her breathe,” someone commented. “Why does every woman have to be pregnant just because she’s wearing loose clothes?”

But for longtime fans, the theory wasn’t so far-fetched. Karan Johar has always been more than a mentor to Alia. He launched her career with Student of the Year, watched her grow into a national star, and was one of the first to hold Raha after her birth. He’s family. If anyone knew something before the rest of the world, it would be him.

Still, the ambiguity lingered. Was it a slip of the tongue—or a deliberate tease?

Entertainment reporters were quick to reach out. A source close to the Bhatt-Kapoor family said, “There’s no confirmation. But yes, something beautiful might be on the horizon.”

That was all fans needed.

Meanwhile, Karan Johar remained silent after his original post. But people began to revisit another clue. In a recent episode of Koffee with Karan, he’d said, “Watching Alia be a mother makes me emotional. She’s ready for anything life gives her next.”

“Next.” That word again.

And then, out of nowhere, a post from Mahesh Bhatt surfaced—an old photo of Alia as a child, with the caption, “Life moves in circles. So proud of my girl.” No mention of a baby. But the timing? Uncanny.

By late evening, the news had reached tabloids across India, the UK, and the US. Some called it fan overreach. Others called it brilliant PR. “Even if she isn’t pregnant,” one journalist wrote, “this is how you make headlines without saying a word.”

Alia, as always, stayed graceful. She was photographed leaving Dharma Productions that day, smiling but offering no comment. Ranbir, when asked by paparazzi, simply laughed and waved.

The mystery remains. Is Alia Bhatt about to become a mother again—or was it all just a perfectly timed, perfectly vague post from her beloved mentor?

Whatever the truth, the story proved one thing: in the world of Bollywood, nothing goes unnoticed. And in the world of Alia Bhatt, even a birthday wish can become a national obsession.