Nayandeep Rakshit (DNA; April 11, 2018)

Varun Dhawan’s filmography can make every other star envious of his position. He’s possibly the only actor who has dabbled in commercial and unconventional cinema and tasted success in both. Last year, he delivered two commercial hits — Badrinath Ki Dulhania and Judwaa 2. And this Friday, he will be seen in Shoojit Sircar’s poignant love story, October. The youngster asserts it ‘has all the ingredients of a Varun Dhawan film’. Over to him...

You are known for your masala films. But with Badlapur, you changed that perception about you...
Everyone thought Badlapur was a huge risk. Now, there’s a major section of the trade and people who think that October is a massive risk for me, considering how my career is going. But that doesn’t bother me because I feel what we are trying to say with this film is far larger than success or failure. Sometimes, you have to do things from your heart. I’m aware that cinema is a visual medium and today, it’s a luxury for people to come to the theatres to watch a movie. Shoojit is aware of that as well. October has a lot more than what you see in the trailer. It has got humour, emotions, twists and turns and at the end of the day, it gives a life lesson without being preachy.

How many people advised you against doing it?
Lots of people, actually. More so now because I’m at a much better position. The same thing had happened during Badlapur, but that time I was still new.

Given that you have tried the unconventional space and tasted success with it, was it easier for you to say ‘yes’ to this film then?
A movie like this doesn’t just come to you. Honestly, I chased it. I was trying to find a script like this for a long time. I went to Shoojit’s office and asked him if he had something for me. That time, he said he didn’t have anything. I think he wanted to cast a newcomer for this role. However, after a couple of meetings, I guess something in me convinced him. I knew from that day that when I enter his world, I have to abide by his rules. I’ve got to surrender and can’t do things that I only excel at.

Do these films get you the respect you crave for?
Do you really think I crave respect? I don’t. For me, every film has its own journey. Honestly, working on Judwaa 2 is as tough as a Badlapur or an October. I surrender to my films and my director’s vision. Of course, doing this movie was difficult because I haven’t attempted something like this before. At least, give me a pat on my back for that. Come Friday, what will actually matter is whether it’s a good or bad film. People have always judged cinema on the basis of those two-and-a-half hours. In this case, it’s a one hour-45 minute film which is also my shortest movie till date. That’s the reason I’m calling October a global film. People will decide whether this was worth their money, in that much time.

Is there a conscious effort to make such films more commercial when you take it up?
I would have never done October if Dan (my character in the film) was just a normal guy. My characters need to have that edge, that something which makes them stand out. The way Shoojit and Juhi have etched him out is so unique. You haven’t seen someone like Dan for sure and he’s fantastic with the things he does. He’s weird but weirdly entertaining.

But is there always a pressure to deliver, given that you never had a flop film?
Obviously, the pressure here actually means people’s expectations. There’s more pressure on me knowing that an audience member is buying a ticket for my film, thinking ‘Main Varun Dhawan ki film kyun dekh raha hoon?’ So he’s expecting something from me. I know I have to deliver. I don’t want to cheat my audience; I want to give them their money’s worth. Which is also why I’m being so honest about what this film is about. I have just promoted it for six to seven days whereas I’m known to be somebody who extensively promotes a movie. In this case, the director and producer didn’t want it because they felt word of mouth should do the trick. That’s so brave of them because they just want the film to speak for itself.

Has there been a shift in the way you pick your films now?
No, there has been no shift. I have always been like that. I’m the same guy who did a Badlapur, a Badrinath Ki Dulhania and Judwaa 2. I like all kinds of cinema. There are people who watch everything. We are just so used to differentiating people saying ‘Yeh banda yeh dekhega’. It’s an outdated way of thinking. As the reviews are out faster today, you get to make up your mind whether you want to spend your money or not on a movie. If someone tells you, yeh bahut kharab film hai, even if it has your favourite star, you are not going to see it. No matter how big a star I am today, I know for a fact that whenever I do a bad film, no one is going to see it. People only want to watch good movies and they can be masala ones, too. If you don’t get it in Hindi, you have regional and English cinema. Then, there are digital platforms. There’s so much competition in terms of content and there are global stars today. October’s world premiere is happening in Dubai because of demand.

Any plans to release it anywhere else?
Yes, we have a plan to release it in China, Russia and globally, we are releasing October in Spanish. Today, there’s a demand for great films and I want to be a part of that change.