‘I HAVE NO TIME FOR COMPETITION’
Varun Dhawan enjoys his new phase of success in contentrich cinema
Happy, content, and gearing up for more — this pretty much sums up actor Varun Dhawan’s current state of mind, as he has been getting rave reviews for his latest film, Shoojit Sircar’s October. Even though the film has been Varun’s lowest box-office opener so far, the reviews for his performance make up for everything. The actor talks about healthy competition, the tags given to him, and the hunger to do more.
October has been getting great reviews... How do you feel?
This film was always beyond numbers and the love it has got from people has been tremendous. People have connected and are feeling proud that such films are made in India. So, that feels good that I’m a part of this cinema as well.
When you’re called a bankable star, future superstar, hero material... do you feel spurred or pressured?
It’s a lot of pressure and I can’t take it head-on because all this is very new to me. I think after Judwaa 2 and Badrinath Ki Dulhania in 2017, which was probably my best year, I got flooded with [tags]. Strangely, the amount of praise I’m getting for October is way more than what I collectively got for those two films. A new set of people, who probably never acknowledged my work until now, are calling me.
And how do you react to this?
It makes me think, ‘Damn, there is such a big audience, which I haven’t tapped.’ My focus shifts to them now.
Whenever the new crop of Bollywood actors are referred to, names such as Sidharth Malhotra, Ranveer Singh, Shahid Kapoor, Arjun Kapoor also pop up. Do you feel there’s a constant pressure to make a mark?
I have no time for competition. I’m busy with films back to back, so there’s no time to think about what someone else is doing. I was promoting October while I was shooting for Sui Dhaaga [in Delhi]. And I’ve already announced my next [with Remo D’Souza].
But competition does exist?
If it’s about contemporaries, yes, it’s all a very healthy competition. It was so inspiring when I saw Ranveer in Padmaavat... So, I don’t feel there’s any race here. It’s too much effort, I feel. Actors are supposed to glide.
Careerwise, you’ve explored a variety of genres in a short span of time. Was there a hunger to do more in less time?
I love films. Whatever kind of cinema it is, I enjoy it and love the process. And in the ’80s and ’90s, when I was growing up and seeing dad (filmmaker David Dhawan) work, all actors were doing three to four films at a time and the footfall in cinemas was more in that era than [it is] today.
Do you consciously try to take up more films at the same time?
I’m very young right now and I have the stamina to do two or three films in a year. I know for a fact that it takes care of a lot of people’s salaries in [Bollywood], and you have to work for everyone.