Renuka Vyavahare (BOMBAY TIMES; April 11, 2018)

Varun Dhawan adores his fans and willingly poses for low-light selfies with them even when they follow him in dimly lit elevators. He assures us, “If it makes them happy, why not?” Ever since his film debut six years ago, the young actor has ruled the roost even though his choices have not been dictated by commercial success alone. That explains his keenness to do films like Badlapur and October along with potboilers like Judwaa 2 and Humpty Sharma Ki Dulhania. “If the intention was to solely make money, I’d have been a producer,” he quips. In an exclusive interview with BT, the dashing Dhawan tells us why Shoojit Sircar’s October took him on a journey of self-introspection and more. Excerpts…

It was interesting what you said at October’s trailer launch, about Shoojit Sircar not really being in favour of you promoting the film...
Yes, it’s a kind of film that needs to speak for itself. He was also worried that I might give away the story. But honestly, a lot of times when you promote a film, you tell people what to expect from it, which tends to take away from the joy of discovery. October is a love story that compels you to follow your inner voice. It’s not about dates, love at first sight, chasing someone around, saying ‘No’, then saying ‘Yes’, longing, crying… it’s none of that. Just saying ‘I love you’ doesn’t mean anything. Love is what you do. I also feel heartbreak is essential as it makes you realise what true love is.

Your films have been consistently successful at the box office in spite of the choices you have made, some of which came as a surprise. No one expected that your second film would be a comedy like Main Tera Hero; a year later, you proved to be a revelation in Badlapur. While majority of your films have been mainstream, not all your roles have been typically heroic by Bollywood standards.
A hero doesn’t always have to go and save someone’s life. Even doing little things in our daily lives which could mean something to someone is heroic. We have stopped doing things like having a conversation with someone or listening to people. I feel the definition of heroism has changed in Hindi cinema and so has the portrayal of a hero. My character in my second film (Main Tera Hero) was an unlikely hero, too. It was a comedy of errors and I wasn’t saving the day. I was on the back foot even in Humpty Sharma Ki Dulhaniya. Be it ABCD 2 or Dishoom, my characters have had a common man’s approach. Also, films to me are either good or bad. I never go by how big or small they are. A filmmaker and his vision matter to me the most. I was the last one to be cast in October and that’s how it should be. Casting certain actors solely because unki picture chal rahi hai is not the right thing to do. I don’t have any qualms in admitting that I needed a film like October the most at this point in my career. I never saw it as a risk.

You’ve managed to strike a balance between realistic and mainstream cinema. Interestingly, portraying ordinary characters on screen is more challenging, isn’t it?
As an actor, you are constantly told what to do, what to wear and how to speak. What you get eventually is an image, not the real person. It’s all fake somewhere. October demanded I get rid of that persona and present the real me. I was used to a certain tone while speaking as I had just shot Judwaa 2, so my pitch was high when I delivered the dialogue. Shoojit da would calmly tell me, “Varun, I am right here. Why are you screaming?” He would tell me not to wear make-up even on days when I hadn’t (laughs!). He would deliberately ruffle my hair as he wanted me to come across the way common people do. After shooting October for 37 days, I was a changed person.

Some films leave a deeper impact on us than others. Do you think October was one such experience in your life?
The film took me on a journey of self introspection. I prepared for it by unlearning things. It required a lot of honesty, as I couldn’t do things like taking my shirt off or flaunting my dance moves. Shoojit da made me undergo digital detox, where I stayed away from my phone for about a month and observed nature, people and life. I listened to music and practised meditation. It made me realise that since we live in a digital world, our mind is constantly cluttered and corrupted by an overdose of information. October expected me to be as normal as possible and getting into that zone as an actor was difficult.

This generation of actors has some real good talent. Who do you consider as your competition?
How would you define competition? I don’t see other actors doing films as diverse as Judwaa 2 and October. My decisions are my decisions, so I don’t see it as competition. Do I wish to do the kind of roles that others have? Yes, I do get inspired. For instance, when I saw Salman bhai in Bajrangi Bhaijaan or Aamir in Dangal or 3 Idiots, it made me feel that I wish I could do something like that. But at the end of the day, I am not doing what others are doing, so I don’t look at it as competition.

What according to you is the biggest challenge that actors face today?
I think this problem is not limited to actors per se, but according to me, to focus solely on your craft has become difficult. There are things like social media interaction, brand endorsements, promotions... and so many such distractions. All these things take you away from filmmaking. It has become increasingly important to prioritise your life.

You were trolled during Christopher Nolan’s recent visit to India for a comment you had made while promoting Dilwale. You had said, ‘If you have seen, liked and understood Inception, you will like Dilwale as well.’
That was supposed to be a joke! I had made that comment during a press interaction as an inside joke between the press and me. I didn’t read what the trolls wrote about me when Nolan was here, but the fact that they spent their precious time to write about me, implies that I am relevant. What I joked about three years ago is still evoking a response! I find some of these things funny. I recently read a meme somewhere that said, ‘Even if October doesn’t do well, since it’s releasing in April, it will always be ahead of its time.’ This to me was hilarious.

On a more serious note, as a celebrity are you wary about every word you utter, especially when it comes to socio-political issues? There’s always a lurking fear of being misconstrued, right?
As actors when we are asked political questions, it’s not that we don’t have an opinion or don’t know the answer or don’t care to answer. We do care, but the judgement that follows is what is irksome. There are some people who also say that we are actors and it’s not our job to comment. I want to tell them that this is my country and I do care about everything that happens here.

Do you think your father’s generation was relatively lucky in the pre-paparazzi and pre-digital age, as they didn’t have to undergo the scrutiny you do?
It’s a generation thing. They had different set of pressures. At my age, my dad had to look after his entire family and financially support us. Till now, I don’t have that kind of responsibility. He has come up the hard way. The love I get from people today, I have inherited that from my dad. They love me to a huge extent because they love him and his films.

As a son, actor and a movie lover who’s doing all kinds of films, does it bother you when some purists consider the ‘David Dhawan brand of cinema’ as lowbrow?
When I said I inherited the love that his fans bestow upon my dad and his films, I also inherited the prejudice against his movies. But the people who enjoy his films have always outnumbered and outweighed those who may not like his work or cinematic sensibility. Even now, he has delivered a hat-trick at the box office with Judwaa 2, Main Tera Hero and Chashme Baddoor. His longevity as a filmmaker says it all.

Does he have a say in the films that you choose?
Not really. Of course, we discuss films and what I am working on, but I don’t necessarily take his advice.

You have always been reluctant to speak about it, but there has been a lot of speculation about your love life…
Well, there will always be speculation, but I don’t like to speak about my personal life. There’s a reason why it’s personal.

So you are going steady with your long-time girlfriend Natasha Dalal?
I am not saying that. You are.