Varun Dhawan confesses that his worst nightmare is to see people yawning and sleeping while watching his fi lms. The actor shares that he isn’t scared to experiment, but even his experimental fi lms need to enagage people. Ahead of Badrinath Ki Dulhania, Varun talks about his fi lma and more. Was there any pressure considering Humpty Sharma Ki Dulhania was a huge hit and audiences’ expectation with Badri... might be high? Humpty Sharma was a hit because it had a lot of heart as lot of people connected with the purity of that love story.
If Badrinath Ki Dulhania does well, it will be only because of the emotional connect with the two characters. Do you think it becomes essential for a sequel to earn more than the fi rst part to be termed as a true success? If you are strictly talking trade, then a lot of factors have to be taken into account. The most important thing is the cost of production and cost of marketing as that helps you discover the recovery point. A lot of people talk box offi ce today and we see so many advertisements claiming that the fi lm has earned `100 crore or `200 crore, but nobody is sure if it they are talking about the gross collection or net collection.
Nowadays, there are a lot of recovery modules as the producers get a certain amount from satellite, music and digital. Badri... is safe fi lm money wise. Is it a typcial Dharma love story? Most love stories by Dharma Productions are very urban. I feel after Kabhi Khushi Kabhie Gham (2001), this is the fi rst family love story that Dharma has made. They haven’t done such a fi lm till date. Do you think Indian directors are moving away from heartland love stories? I think that is what sets Badri... apart from other fi lms. Our director is from a small town and his way of seeing romance and love story is very different from the way an urban person would see it. Bollywood has always been criticised for glorifying stalking and from the trailer, it seems that Badri... too belongs to a similar space. Comment.
Our fi lm has nothing to do with stalking and aggressiveness. In a larger context, there is a message that we are trying to give out via the fi lm. Somewhere our fi lm has a take on stalking and there is an explanation about it too. I would not like to give out the story, so wait for the fi lm. All I would like to say, what people are criticising right now is the same thing we are criticising in the fi lm. Do you think you have managed to connect with the pan-Indian audience? I don’t feel I have yet connected across the country because had that been the case, the box offi ce of my fi lm would have gone very high.
Actual connection with the audience means that everyone in the country is enjoying your fi lm. I have a long way to reach at position but that is my goal for sure. You are working with your father David Dhawan in Judwaa 2. Did you meet Salman for inputs? I just remember watching Judwaa in theatre and meeting Salman Khan for the fi rst time then. The only advice Salman gave me is ‘Listen to your dad and don’t be over smart.’ Is it true that Salman too has a double role in Judwaa 2? I cannot say anything right now. I want people to be surprised by Salman’s character. Are you excited about teaming up with Shoojit Sircar? There was something that he has narrated to me which I really liked. I wanted to work with Shoojit Sircar ever since I watched Vicky Donor (2012). It is a love story and I start shooting for the fi lm after Judwaa 2.