No, I'm not dating Karan Johar: fashion designer Prabal Gurung clarifies viral Instagram photo

Fashion designer Prabal Gurung has denied he is in a romantic relationship with filmmaker Karan Johar after a photograph of the two became viral on social media.

The Nepal-born designer said he was merely joking when he caption their photo as "pyaar kiya to darna kya" (why fear when in love while wishing the filmmaker on his 47th birthday.

Johar had playfully responded to the photo, saying "control yourself bhaiyya (brother)".

Gurung, in his statement after the photo fiasco, said Johar is one of his dearest friends but they are not dating.

"Can we have some humour and levity please. l feel very saddened and disappointed to need to say this, but to officially set the record straight: I am not in a romantic relationship with Karan Johar.

"My recent Instagram post of the two of us was done with humour and my absolute love of Bollywood, its melodramatic flair and the one and only Madhubala. It has subsequently been misconstrued as Karan and me being in a relationship," the designer wrote.

Calling Johar a "mentor", "guru" and "big brother", Gurung said he and his family rely on the filmmakers in the time of need.

"To misconstrue my deep love for Karan as a romantic relationship is immature, unfounded, and frankly, very damaging in the 21st Century in this time of incredible divisiveness and othering that is happening all over the world. I have been in a happy romantic relationship for over 5 years - with someone else - not Karan," Gurung wrote.