Varun Dhawan has responded to the online trolling he has been facing ahead of the release of his upcoming film, Border 2. The actor, who plays a decorated army officer in the movie, has been the subject of memes and criticism, particularly regarding his performance in the film's song, "Ghar Kab Aaoge".
Speaking at the "Braves Of The Soil" tribute trailer launch for Border 2, Dhawan addressed the negativity, stating that it "doesn't really matter". He emphasized his belief in letting his work speak for itself. "I believe that you shut down the noise and just let your work do the talking. Yeh sab cheezein chalti rehti hai (All these things keep happening). It doesn't really matter. Main iske liye kaam karta hoon. Main jis cheeze k liye kaam karta hoon woh iss Friday ko pata chalega (I don't work for this. What I work for, you will get to know this Friday)," Dhawan said. Border 2 is scheduled to release on January 23, 2026.
Dhawan further emphasized the importance of the film itself, expressing his faith in the project. "Mujhe film pe bharosa hai. Ek achi film banana bohut important hai. Obviously, numbers yeh sab cheezein mera kuch lena dena nahi hai isse. But I believe ki humne ek achi film banayi hai (I believe in the film. It's very important to make a good film. I'm not concerned with numbers. I believe we made a good film)," he stated. He added that audiences primarily seek entertainment when they go to the theaters and that he comes "from the school where a person's work speaks".
The trolling against Dhawan intensified after the release of "Ghar Kab Aaoge," with many social media users mocking his expressions and even resorting to body-shaming. Some online content creators allegedly participated in a paid campaign to generate negative content targeting the actor. A Reddit post showed a leaked message to an Instagram content creator, proposing a collaboration to criticize Dhawan’s performance in Border 2.
Amid the criticism, Suniel Shetty, who starred in the original 1997 Border, defended Dhawan. Speaking with Bombay Times, Shetty questioned the basis of the trolling, as nobody had seen the film. He asserted that Dhawan would "kill it" in the film and is playing a decorated officer who sacrificed his life for the country. Shetty also condemned the "toxic culture" of social media, where people easily trash others.
Adding to the conversation, producer Nidhi Dutta, daughter of filmmaker J.P. Dutta, also criticized the trolling and labeled the negativity as an anti-national smear campaign.
Dhawan himself has responded to some of the memes with humor, particularly those related to his smile in the film. This playful approach has been praised by fans, who appreciate his ability to handle the situation with a relaxed attitude.
Border 2 is directed by Anurag Singh and features an ensemble cast including Sunny Deol, Ahan Shetty, and Diljit Dosanjh. The film is a sequel to the 1997 hit Border, which was directed by J.P. Dutta.
