Varun Dhawan Says ‘Dhurandhar’ Success Is a ‘Director’s Win’; Netizens SLAM Actor, Call Him ‘Jealous’ of Ranveer Singh
Actor Varun Dhawan sparked a wave of social media backlash after attributing the massive box office success of the spy thriller 'Dhurandhar' entirely to its director, Aditya Dhar. during a discussion, the actor described the blockbuster franchise as a 'director's win', leading netizens to accuse him of being jealous of the film's lead star, Ranveer Singh.
Actor Varun Dhawan has sparked an intense online debate following his recent comments regarding the historic box office success of the spy action thriller Dhurandhar. Speaking during a conversational session with his father, veteran filmmaker David Dhawan, the actor described the blockbuster film's triumph as a "director’s win," rather than attributing it to its lead star, Ranveer Singh. The remarks have drawn sharp criticism from a section of internet users, who accuse the actor of being envious of his contemporary's career milestone. Ranveer Singh Banned: FWICE Issues Non-Cooperation Directive Against Bollywood Star After Don 3 Exit Drama.
Varun Dhawan Credits ‘Dhurandhar’ Success Primarily to Aditya Dhar
The discussion arose during a sit-down interview between the father-son duo, where they reflected on how modern filmmaking dynamics have evolved. When David Dhawan asserted that the film industry remains heavily driven by the star power of actors, Varun openly disagreed, using the recent box office phenomenon Dhurandhar as a counter-example.
"Today, when you see Dhurandhar, you see someone like Aditya Dhar and the way he made the film. So that was a director's win, right?" Varun stated during the interaction. While David Dhawan conceded that Dhar is a unique talent, he maintained that actors generally hold a greater influence over a project's commercial outcome.
Varun later added during the chat that actors are frequently prone to professional insecurities. Directed by Aditya Dhar, the two-part spy thriller has broken numerous box office records, with its first instalment earning over INR 1,300 crore and its sequel grossing more than INR 1,800 crore globally.
Varun Dhawan Calls ‘Dhurandhar’ Phenomenon a Director's Victory
dhurandhar was a director's success not actor's- varun dhawanby
Netizens Slam Varun Dhawan
Varun’s comments quickly went viral across social media platforms, drawing a strong wave of backlash from Ranveer Singh’s fans and general cinema audiences. Many internet users argued that the actor was intentionally undermining Singh’s central contribution to the massive scale of the franchise.
Internet Reacts to Varun Dhawan's Comment
"It's so evident that Varun is jealous of Ranveer," one user commented on Reddit, pointing to the physical and theatrical demands of the role. Others highlighted that a film of such magnitude requires a collaborative effort, noting that a director's vision can only succeed if the lead cast delivers a compelling performance. Varun Dhawan Eyes Hollywood Debut With Parallel Universe Action Film Backed by Lawrence Kasanoff – Report.
The online backlash arrives at a time when Varun is preparing for his next theatrical outing, Hai Jawani Toh Ishq Hona Hai. The romantic comedy, directed by David Dhawan and co-starring Mrunal Thakur and Pooja Hegde, is scheduled to hit theatres in early June.
(The above story first appeared on LatestLY on May 26, 2026 10:49 AM IST. For more news and updates on politics, world, sports, entertainment and lifestyle, log on to our website latestly.com).