A suspected bout of the disease keeps Karan Johar bedridden, effectively ending his plans of joining SRK and family in Rome

A sudden bout of high fever and suspected malaria put an end to Karan Johar's plans of flying to Rome ('A Roman holiday for SRK and family', Hitlist, October 22) for the special screening and subsequent release of his film My Name Is Khan at the international film festival held there.

Disappointed

The director developed high fever while shooting for Koffee With Karan and was seen shivering on the sets, even though it was actually quite warm that day.

He came home from the shoot, and crashed. Since then, he has been too weak to move, and hasn't even left his bed.

KJo is disappointed as apart from joining the Roman release of MNIK, he will also miss Shah Rukh Khan's 45th birthday in Berlin along with Gauri and the two Khan children.

The doctor suspects KJo is down with malaria, and till the tests come in, Karan has been advised strict bed rest for a week.

He says, "I am really upset that I couldn't be in Rome. MNIK is truly the most special film of my career and I believe it is SRK's finest performance.

Walking the red carpet with him on such a prestigious platform would have made an indelible memory. Also I have never missed SRK's birthday in all these years, so it's a double disappointment."

Karan was also to record a byte of SRK's for the inaugural episode of KWK in Berlin but now, Shah Rukh will shoot and send the byte himself.