Varun Dhawan, in a recent interview, talked about whether he would pick up a film like Animal if it comes his way.
Sandeep Reddy’s 2023 film Animal headlined by Ranbir Kapoor turned out to be one of the biggest blockbusters of that year. While the Bollywood actor received praise for his performance, the film also drew criticism from a section of audience for its perceived misogyny and violence.
Recently in an interview with GQ India, Varun Dhawan was asked if he would do a film like Animal if offered. In response, the actor said, “I don’t know man. I’m not the guy who lets cinema influence his moral compass. But I don’t know how I would have reacted back then if it had come my way. I’d have given it more thought maybe. Sandeep thinks differently. He’s a guy I definitely would want to work with.”
In the same interview, Varun also talked about how the mainstream cinema is a strong barometer to gauge how far behind we are as a society.
The ‘Bhediya’ actor said, “We live in a bubble. Just travel a little outside any big city and you know what this country really is. Just look at the kind of films that go on to do huge business. They aren’t really the most progressive films in thought. We want to feel holier than thou but our realities are starkly different. We need to accept where we are and we’re not doing that. We’re totally delulu as a culture.”
On being asked if he doesn’t feel his own complicity in enabling the same culture that he’s calling out since he yields the power to influence in the right direction, the actor said that he aims to find a balance when it comes to his choice of films.
Citing his upcoming film Baby John as an example, he explained, “It is as pan-India and massy as a film can get. But it has a strong message for our judicial system and about the safety of women.”
Speaking about how its the best he can do within paradigm of commercial cinema, he continued, “I’m not making movies to change the world. I do it to entertain. And in that process, if change happens, great. But that’s not the main drive. If I had to change the world, I’d become a politician.”
Further, Varun also admitted that post COVID-19 pandemic, actors are now choosing to do safer, tried and tested, formulaic stuff over the edgier and more experimental in order to stay consistently bankable.
“It’s true that there are a lot of people in the industry who are really scared. And all they do is call others up and scare them off even more. Don’t pick this up now, don’t release this now, there’s a lot of fear mongering. The truth is: Nobody really knows anything. So I’m still going by my instinct,” the ‘October’ actor was quoted as saying.
Currently, Varun Dhawan is busy with the promotions of Baby John. The film marks the Bollywood debut of Keerthy Suresh and also features Wamiqa Gabbi. Besides this, the actor also has his father David Dhawan’s upcoming directorial Hai Jawani Toh Ishq Hona Hai co-starring Mrunal Thakur and Pooja Hegde.
