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| Edited By: Meena Iyer |Source: DNA |Updated: Sep 10, 2018, 06:00 AM IST
With his boyish charm, lopsided smile and unconventional choices, Varun Dhawan has emerged as a teenage heartthrob. When I meet him on a sunny Monday morning, the 31-year-old is nursing his ankle that he has hurt. He winces in pain, but his spirit is indomitable.
Biting into an omelette (after he asks us whether it’s okay for him to eat while we speak), the Gen-Now superstar tackles this interview with as much enthusiasm as he devours his egg preparation. That’s Varun for you... he’s gung-ho about food, films and family.
Perhaps that’s why he’s in an enviable position today. In a no-holds-barred interview, the award-winning actor talks about setting new goals for himself, working with his dad, David Dhawan in the near future and showering his niece with unconditional love. Excerpts...
There’s no pattern. My primary goal is that the film should be liked by the janta. I’m not discriminating that this is my multiplex subject or a single-screen one. The idea is to take the movie as wide as possible. Sometimes you can’t do that, but then you can’t make that film on a Rs 100-crore budget. My biggest concern is that I don’t want anyone to lose money. Among all the films that I’ve done so far, no producer has lost any money. That is my conscious attempt. As for comparing it to Ranbir’s pattern, if these films had failed, then there would be no such observation. It’s only because they’re working that you wonder if it’s well thought out. When I started watching films, I realised that our cinema is repetitive.
It follows the herd mentality. Now, in 2018, everyone is doing diverse kind of cinema, giving the audience what they want and also surprising them every once in a while. With international OTT platforms and Hollywood movies like Avengers and Fast & Furious becoming huge hits, we have to give our audiences different stories.
This is so in tune with Sui Dhaaga: Made In India. One reason I did the film is that everyone was saying, ‘Aap yeh nahin kar sakte. You’re a chocolate boy, so you can’t do this. You’re a mass hero, so don’t go beyond that.’ I’ve heard these statements a lot. One director even told me that if you do comedies, you’ll be typecast. I’m glad people said such things. Because, later, when I went on to do other stuff, I knew I could pull it off. I believe in the human spirit... no matter what the obstacle, if you want to do something in life, you will find a way. That’s the only thing I tell myself.
Among my 10 films, I never worked with the top three directors of the country. Instead, I was blessed to collaborate with cool directors who changed my career — like Shashank Khaitan, Sriram Raghavan, Remo D’souza, my brother Rohit (Dhawan), my dad and Karan (Johar), who, obviously, has played a pivotal role in my career. I wasn’t working with the successful directors of Dharma Productions. For the Dulhania franchise, I worked with Shashank, a new director who came from Nasik but both the movies (Humpty Sharma Ki Dulhania and Badrinath Ki Dulhania) went on to do well. I do things when people say I can’t do that... I’m like a wounded tiger.
Unbelievable! She is superb, she is such a good actor and a lovely person. I know that my character (Mauji) will be one of my most remembered roles. Once Paresh Rawal sir told me, ‘When you youngsters do films, you’re so scared. Why do you have to be afraid? Have faith in your talent.’ When Badlapur was about to release, I had told him, ‘Sir, woh film aa rahi hai’ and he was like, ‘Why are you getting scared?’
Some people have seen the film and we’ve got a sense of what they thought of it. I’m feeling very confident about it and my character. I know how Mamta (the character played by Anushka) has impacted Mauji to look amazing in the film. Like a wife plays an important role in her husband’s life, as a co-actor, Anushka had a big hand in making my character. Yash Raj Films (who has backed this production) does an amazing job with love stories and in 2018, you will see how they are redefining the genre again.
I’m doing one with dad, though I don’t know what it’s going to be.
In fact, my brother would always say that in dad’s movies, there were guys like Munnu and Bunnu, who always failed in school and did all naughty things because of me. I would feel bad about that. He would take digs at me and say I would never do anything in life. I was like the black sheep of the family; I was a very naughty kid.
I always knew that I wanted to be an entertainer. I was pretty much obsessed with wrestling, until a certain age. But I couldn’t pursue it because of my height. Today, you no longer have to be so tall and huge in order to be a wrestler. I don’t know if I still have a chance (smiles).
Only Kalank for now. I won’t start anything till that ends. That’s my promise to Abhishek Varman. For his second directorial, he’s making a massive film. I want to be there 500 per cent till it’s done.
I’m doing something with Shashank for sure. He’s in the midst of scripting. There are a lot of people I want to work with like Dad, then there’s something being planned with Remo. I don’t want to rush.. I tried in between, like ek saal mein meri teen filmein aani chahiye. While growing up, I’ve seen Akshay Kumar, Shah Rukh Khan and Salman Khan doing three films a year at one time. Even Aamir Khan has done three films at a time. I did Badlapur, ABCD 2 and Dilwale. Now, so much time goes into promotions (almost a month) that films take longer. This year, I had October and now Sui Dhaaga. I’ve begun filming Kalank. It takes a toll on you. It’s not easy. Not that I can’t do it. But if someone says I can’t, then I will do five films. But if I want to do successful movies, then I can’t do that.
I chill with my friends, watch a film and play with my niece (Rohit’s daughter) which is one of the best things in the world. As a kid, I’d always tell mom, ‘I know why I love you; because you keep doing things for me, whether I want to buy something or I have a fever, you’re taking care of me. But why do you love me? What am I doing for you?’ She would say, ‘When you have a kid, you don’t have to do anything, just your existence is reason enough.’ I never understood it then but since the birth of my niece, I understand it. As an actor, you know the nine rasas, but this love and emotion are beyond that. The moment I saw her, I said I’m always going to protect her. It’s an amazing feeling, something that I can’t describe. How we bring the child up will be the biggest success.
That is also why I love doing family films. Earlier, I was a teenager and wanted to move out. Now I understand the essence of family. I’ve pretty much grown in front of the audience, and I’m realising how our country thrives on these values and why such films do so well.
Whether you’re rich or poor, when you go home and know your parents and brother are there that gives you the strength. Somewhere it speaks, through what you say and do. That importance of husband, wife, mother, father, nephew and bahu connect is all there in Sui Dhaaga.
Rajkummar Rao. I’ve heard that Stree is good. Many of my friends like Dinoo (producer Dinesh Vijan) and Shraddha (Kapoor) are associated with it. It’s directed by a debutant and is a success. What Raj is doing with his career is pretty cool. Ranbir (Kapoor) obviously is doing wonderful work. Ranveer (Singh) is amazing. I think a lot of the others, everyone for that matter, is doing something different. Like Arjun (Kapoor), who has begun working on Rajkumar Gupta’s India’s Most Wanted.
Arjun and you share a great friendship. During a recent fashion event, he said he was going to cheer for you.
Arjun and my relationship is beyond cinema, we are pretty chilled out. I also like his line-up of movies. It is diverse and interesting. I’m excited about Sriram’s forthcoming film AndhaDhun with Ayushmann Khurrana. And I’m kicked about the fact that my chacha (Anil Dhawan) is acting in it.
Without a shadow of doubt, it has to be Alia Bhatt. Her choices make her the most exciting young actor on the scene today.
