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Varun Dhawan admits he is ‘realistic’ about his position in industry for doing action films: 'Was not being able to hit that figure with my kind of recovery’
Varun Dhawan acknowledges he’s realistic about his place in the industry, admitting that his box-office returns haven’t yet reached the level required for major action films.
Bollywood actor Varun Dhawan, one of Bollywood’s busiest stars, has several films lined up ahead. Recently, he reflected on his approach to big-budget projects, especially action films, sharing that he's "realistic" about his standing in the industry. He admitted that he hasn’t yet reached the level of box-office returns needed to justify the hefty budgets that major action films, like those by Aditya Chopra, require.
During a chat with Instant Bollywood, Varun Dhawan was questioned about any self-doubt he might’ve felt when Aditya Chopra pointed out the need for a sizable budget to produce an action film with him. Varun responded confidently, explaining that he’s quite realistic about his position in the industry.
He said, "I'm very realistic about the position that I am in. And yeah, I could have done. I can do a certain type of an action film but that won't be enough to justify the position that I am in. It won't be enough."
The actor added that for him, only a mid-to-large-scale action film can genuinely reflect his current standing, as even these mid-budget projects have the potential to be truly impactful.
He elaborated, sharing an insightful moment with Aditya Chopra, who explained what it takes to produce large-scale films that succeed so well. Varun acknowledged that action films, especially those with high production value, demand significant investment and craftsmanship.
While talent can sometimes stretch a smaller budget, there’s a limit to how much it can achieve. Varun admitted that, at this point, his films haven’t yet reached the level of box-office returns needed to justify such massive budgets, especially for the industry’s biggest projects.
“I don't think I was being able to hit that figure with my kind of recovery in films as yet. And I'm talking about the biggest ones being made,” he said.
At the Citadel: Honey Bunny trailer launch, Varun Dhawan shared a candid backstory from a lockdown-era meeting with Aditya Chopra. Recalling a game of badminton with Aditya and Maneesh Sharma, who were working on Tiger 3 at the time, Varun had asked why Chopra hadn't cast a younger actor in one of his action films.
Playfully pressing, the Baby John actor asked why he himself couldn’t be considered. Chopra explained that, at this point, he couldn’t allocate the budget for Varun, as he wasn’t yet at the level that would justify such an investment. He later texted Adtiya for details on this budget, only to find out the substantial sum required for a blockbuster-scale action movie.
Varun Dhawan’s upcoming projects include the Indian adaptation of the American series Citadel: Honey Bunny, where he stars alongside Samantha Ruth Prabhu. Directed by Raj & DK and produced by D2R Films and Amazon MGM Studios, with executive production by The Russo Brothers' AGBO and Raj & DK, the show will premiere on Amazon Prime Video on November 7.
Varun’s lineup also features Baby John, Border 2, and Sunny Sanskari Ki Tulsi Kumari.
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