The screen is colourful and in the background runs Varun’s voice. In the first few frames of Judwaa 2 trailer, our hero is forcing himself with a kiss on an unsuspecting Taapsee Pannu, as she tries to push him away. Yes, it’s an unabashed sexual assault scene peppered with a peppy track with a nostalgic punch. And we are supposed to like this character. So cute, isn’t he? What couldn’t have been a more than troll-worthy clip is largely forgiven by the moral police, except a mention here and there (notably, Pulkit Arora, AIB Fist Draft writer). Even veteran film critic Anupama Chopra on Film Companion Unfiltered seems to be in his awe, ‘He’s so likeable. When he’s doing such scenes, they are funny. Otherwise, they aren’t.’
And such absurdity is not only restricted to films. He has been doling out random words of wisdom off late. And it all started with Koffee With Karan’s blockbuster episode which is usually remembered for Alia Bhatt’s histrionics. Varun’s answers were almost on par with her, if not more ridiculous. Case in point, Who is the President of India? Manmohan Singh. Sigh. Remember the time when he compared Rohit Shetty’s Dilwale to Christopher Nolan’s Inception? And that ‘N’ word? Okay, then….
But all is forgiven when it comes to Varun Dhawan. Kids love him, men consider him a friend and women can’t help but smile when he is on screen. From a spoilt brat in Student of the Year to a happy-go-lucky lad in Main Tera Hero to the revengeful badass in Badlapur, the man never ceases to surprise with his versatility. With zero flops in his kitty till now, it seems like Varun can nail any genre or role. Every. Single. Time.
“The choice of films is one thing, luck is another. I think both have contributed to his success,” says Joginder Tuteja, a leading trade expert. His statement carries credit in the context of the noir film, Badlapur, helmed by Sriram Raghavan. A revenge drama, the film was anything but a safe choice. Varun excelled in it, that too, more importantly, alongside Nawazuddin Siddiqui and Huma Qureshi. It set the cash registers ringing and Varun’s gamble paid off.
But look back at his career in the last 5 years, and you notice a pattern. “In India, you have to do a pan-India film to be a true star. Films inspired by foreign films will never give you that reach,” says Ashwin Varde, a prominent producer in Hindi cinema. So, except for Badlapur, Dishoom with John Abraham and playing Shah Rukh’s brother in Dilwale, Varun has largely picked roles in films that will attract large numbers, with him in almost every frame. And with Badrinath Ki Dulhaniya, Dilwale and ABCD 2 crossing the Rs 100-crore mark, it seems like his blueprint is legit.
Varun in Badlapur
Joginder reminds us of the Dhawan connect, though. “With a big guy like David Dhawan behind him, it is possible that he is helping his kid pick and choose certain projects which have a commercial standing," he adds. True, and to know how the industry works outside of Mumbai, within the smaller cities, is a huge treasure trove of knowledge that Dhawan Sr must have learnt the hard way, which, Varun claims in an old interview with a magazine, to have ingested at every dinner conversation. But that are just numbers talking.
Actors and their individual images have played a love and hate relationship with their respective careers. While Tiger Shroff is shy and serious, Ranveer Singh is loud, Sidharth Malhotra is reserved while Ranbir Kapoor is the eternal soulful lover boy. All of them have an enviable body, can dance and have a certain fan base. But where does that leave Varun Dhawan? “He is original,” quips an ardent fan, on a Facebook thread about his latest film, Judwaa 2. Joginder admits that there is an air of innocence around him. And the combination of natural acting talent and a childish face, anyone would admit, is a killer mix. The fact that he can pull off a college kid role with his demeanour can’t hurt.
And to top it off, he comes across as sincere as well. Varun can impress and frustrate filmmakers with his perfectionism. In an interview with Anupama Chopra, Varun admits repeatedly asking for a retake from his father while shooting for Judwaa 2. And that sincerity shows on screen. Also evident is his enthusiasm and vigour. Watch any of his dance numbers and you will find him hitting double the required energy levels. But this enthusiasm isn’t limited to only films. Tarun Udasi, an RJ with City 1016 Dubai mentions the ease with which Varun entertains the crowd. “He made sure the press got their special moments—be it with the co-star or himself. He left everyone with something to remember by. He would teach a dance step spontaneously, or rap for the audience,” he shares. And media loves actors who provide value, even the slightest.
But actors are known to suffer from another syndrome—being an attention seeker. “First time I met him was at a dance pageant. I asked him if he wanted to go on stage and dance with them on one of his songs. He refused, saying it was their moment and he wouldn’t like to intrude. He knows his place, and wasn’t looking for publicity just for the sake of it,” Tarun adds.
Then there is the highly coveted place of being the kids' favourite hero. That is where Salman Khan and Hrithik Roshan owe their longevity to. Varun Dhawan, surprisingly, has impressed that quarter as well. A video floating on Facebook of a Mumbai-based radio company fooled a bunch of kids by saying that one of them is going to meet Varun. He was next door, and when he entered, the kids completely lost their cool. One even cried. “Kids love him because he is relatable, mischievous and harmless,” adds Tarun. Varun’s choice of films like Student Of The Year, ABCD 2 and now Judwaa 2, being kid-friendly, only added to the image. Joginder chips in, “I know kids who loved him in Dishoom as well.”
With news of Judwaa 2’s massive opening trickling in, Varun seems to have hit another bonanza. That will mean he will have nine successes in a row. “He is unabashedly doing mainstream films, a good job while at it. That is increasing his mass fan base,” adds Ashwin. Varun had entered the industry with his six packs, a mischievous smile, and decent acting ability. Over ther years, he made sure that he doesn’t take his luck for granted. And that is what Varun Dhawan is doing right.
