Varun Dhawan (Hindi pronunciation: [dn]; born April 24, 1987) is an Indian actor who works in Hindi films. He has been on Forbes India's Celebrity 100 list since 2014, and is one of India's highest-paid actors. Between 2012 and 2018, he appeared in 11 consecutive box-office hits.
He graduated in business studies from Nottingham Trent University, the son of film director David Dhawan. He began his career as Karan Johar's assistant director in My Name Is Khan (2010), and then made his acting debut in Johar's teen drama Student of the Year in 2012. He rose to prominence in the romantic comedies Main Tera Hero (2014), Humpty Sharma Ki Dulhania (2014), and Badrinath Ki Dulhania (2017); the action comedies Dilwale (2015), Dishoom (2016), and Judwaa 2 (2017); the dance film ABCD 2 (2015); and the drama Sui Dhaaga (2017). (2018).
Dhawan was also praised for playing an avenger against type in the thriller Badlapur (2015) and an aimless man dealing with loss in the drama October (2018). He starred in Jugjugg Jeeyo and Bhediya after three critical and commercial flops (both 2022).
Early years
Dhawan was born on April 24, 1987, to film director David Dhawan and Karuna Dhawan. His ancestors are Punjabi Hindus. His older brother, Rohit, is a film director best known for his debut film Desi Boyz, and his uncle, Anil, is an actor. He finished his HSC education at the H.R. Commerce and Economics College. He holds a business studies degree from Nottingham Trent University in the United Kingdom. Prior to his acting career, he worked as Karan Johar's assistant director on the film My Name Is Khan (2010).
Career
2012-2014: Initial Success
Dhawan made his acting debut in 2012, alongside Sidharth Malhotra and Alia Bhatt, in Karan Johar's teen film Student of the Year. He was cast as Rohan Nanda, the adolescent son of a wealthy businessman who competes in an annual school championship with his girlfriend (Bhatt) and best friend (Malhotra). Dhawan was described as "a talent one can't help but marvel at" by Bollywood Hungama's Taran Adarsh, and CNN-Rajeev IBN's Masand added, "It's Varun Dhawan who stands out with a confident, charming turn, able to tackle both comical and vulnerable scenes with ease." Student of the Year was a commercial success, grossing $1.09 billion (US$14 million) around the world.
Dhawan then starred in the romantic comedy Main Tera Hero (2014), a remake of his father David's Telugu film Kandireega, which was produced by Balaji Motion Pictures and directed by him. He portrayed an impulsive brat caught up in a love triangle. Filmfare's Raedita Tandon praised Dhawan's comic timing and compared him favorably to Govinda and Prabhudheva. The film was a commercial success, grossing 780 million Indian rupees globally.
Dhawan then starred in Shashank Khaitan's romantic comedy Humpty Sharma Ki Dulhania as Rakesh, a flirtatious Punjabi boy who has a romantic affair with an engaged Punjabi woman. Johar, who also served as producer on the film, described it as a tribute to Dilwale Dulhania Le Jayenge (1995). His screen presence was praised by Rohit Khilnani of India Today, and Nandini Ramnath of Mint noted how much he stood out in the film's "few quieter scenes." Humpty Sharma Ki Dulhania was one of the highest-grossing Indian films of the year, grossing $1.11 billion (US$14 million) worldwide.
From 2015 to 2018, he was a well-known actor.
Dhawan starred in Sriram Raghavan's crime thriller Badlapur (2015) as Raghu, a father who takes 15 years to avenge the murder of his wife and son. Dhawan described playing Raghu as a "terrifying" experience, adding that he "fell into depression after a point where it no longer felt like I was acting in a film." His acting range was praised by Rediff.com's Raja Sen, who wrote that he "sheds his easy-breezy charm — but, crucially, not his slightly hapless natural likeability — and bubbles up volcanically, his eyes frequently doing the talking." He received a Filmfare Award nomination for Best Actor for his performance.
Dhawan then starred in ABCD 2 with Shraddha Kapoor, portraying the real-life character of Kings United founder Suresh Mukund, a Mumbai dancer who went on to win the 2012 World Hip Hop Dance Championship. Shilpa Jamkhandikar of Reuters panned the film, calling Dhawan "the film's only asset" and writing that "except for the honest note he strikes, the rest of the film could have been just a bunch of music videos." ABCD 2 grossed $1.67 billion (US$21 million) worldwide, prompting Box Office India to consider the film an emergence of Dhawan's star power.
Dhawan's final film appearance that year was in Rohit Shetty's ensemble action drama Dilwale, co-starring Shah Rukh Khan, Kajol, and Kriti Sanon, in which he played Khan's younger sibling. Despite mixed critical reviews, the film was a commercial success, grossing over 3.75 billion (US$47 million) worldwide, becoming Dhawan's highest-grossing release and one of the highest-grossing Bollywood films. He then starred as a rookie Indo-Emirati cop in Rohit's action comedy Dishoom (2016), alongside John Abraham and Jacqueline Fernandez. Despite mixed reviews, the film was a box office success, grossing over 1.2 billion (US$15 million) worldwide.
Dhawan re-teamed with Khaitan and Bhatt for the romantic comedy Badrinath Ki Dulhania (2017), playing the titular character, a chauvinist fiancé to Bhatt's character. According to Shubhra Gupta of The Indian Express, Dhawan "impresses as a boy-struggling-to-be-a-man." Furthermore, according to Tushar Joshi of Daily News and Analysis, "Varun Dhawan and Alia Bhatt prove that on-screen chemistry can sometimes be enough to keep you engaged in an average plot with a predictable narrative." For the film, he received his second Filmfare nomination for Best Actor. Later that year, he co-starred with Fernandez and Taapsee Pannu in his father's Judwaa 2, a remake of his father's 1997 Salman Khan film Judwaa. Both Badrinath Ki Dulhania and Judwaa 2 were commercial successes, grossing over 2 billion rupees (US$25 million). According to Forbes, Dhawan has established himself as a "bona fide Bollywood superstar" after nine consecutive box office hits and a 100% success ratio.
In 2018, Dhawan had two films released: Shoojit Sircar's drama October and Sharat Katariya's social drama Sui Dhaaga. In October, written by Sircar's frequent collaborator Juhi Chaturvedi, he played Danish Walia, an aimless hotel management trainee whose life is turned upside down when a coworker falls into a coma. Anna M. M. Vetticad of Firstpost praised Dhawan for "effacing his starry swagger and trademark cutesiness to play Dan"; Rohit Vats of Hindustan Times thought it was his best performance to date, writing that "his humour is innate, but his understanding of pain and how it affects human behavior is even better." Dhawan and Anushka Sharma starred as Mauji and Mamta, a newlywed couple in rural India who start their own small-scale clothing business. According to Udita Jhunjunwala of Mint, "Dhawan has perfected the template for playing a simpleton. He brings a similar naiveté to Mauji, albeit endearingly." In October, he received a Filmfare Critics Award nomination for Best Actor.
Career shifts from 2019 to the present
Dhawan's sole film appearance in 2019 was in Abhishek Varman's ensemble period drama Kalank, in which he starred alongside Alia Bhatt once again. The film, set in the 1940s prior to India's partition, starred him as a womanizing blacksmith; despite suffering from a knee injury and hamstring tear, he trained extensively for the part and insisted on performing his own stunts. NDTV's Saibal Chatterjee praised Dhawan's out-of-character performance. Dhawan kicked off the new decade with the dance film Street Dancer 3D (2020), which The Hindu's Namrata Joshi described as a "compilation of indistinguishable performances." Both Kalank and Street Dancer 3D did poorly commercially, causing a setback in his career. He collaborated with his father for the third time in Coolie No. 1, a 2020 remake of Govinda's 1995 film of the same name, which was released online on Amazon Prime Video due to the COVID-19 pandemic. The film received a negative critical and public reaction, owing largely to the nepotism controversy sparked by the death of actor Sushant Singh Rajput. Shubhra Gupta of The Indian Express called the film a "zero wit, no flair" flop, noting that Dhawan "channeled Govinda in many of his films much better."
In 2022, Dhawan co-starred in Jugjugg Jeeyo, a comedy-drama about divorce, with Kiara Advani. Monika Rawal Kukreja of the Hindustan Times praised him for "bringing life to a complex character." It grossed $1.35 billion (US$17 million) worldwide, making it one of the year's highest-grossing films. Dhawan starred in Bhediya, the third installment of Dinesh Vijan's horror-comedy universe. The film was shot over a two-month period in various locations throughout Arunachal Pradesh. According to News18's Sonal Dedhia, he's "in full form and is a delight to watch as an egoistic prick-turned-reluctant-werewolf."
Dhawan will next be seen in Nitesh Tiwari's action film Bawaal, starring alongside Janhvi Kapoor. He will also appear in Citadel, an Indian adaptation of the American drama series created by the Russo Brothers and directed by Raj & DK.
Other assignments
Dhawan also performs on stage and has co-hosted two award ceremonies in addition to his acting career. In 2013, he appeared at the Filmfare, Screen, and Stardust award ceremonies, as well as a Hong Kong event. With Sidharth Malhotra and Ayushmann Khurrana, he hosted the 2013 Stardust Awards, as well as a segment of the 59th Filmfare Awards. He was also a co-host for the 20th Screen Awards, alongside Shahrukh Khan and Richa Chadda. In 2013, he performed at a special event with Malhotra, Bhatt, Kapur, Kapoor, and Badlapur co-star Huma Qureshi to raise funds for Uttarakhand flood victims.
Dhawan was named the brand ambassador of FC Goa, a newly formed Indian Super League club, in September 2014. During the COVID-19 pandemic in India, he also donated Rs. 30 lakhs to the PM-CARES Fund of the Government of India.
Personal life and public perception
Dhawan has been on Forbes India's Celebrity 100 list since 2014, reaching the 15th spot in 2018 when the magazine estimated his annual income to be $495.8 million (US$6.2 million) and named him one of the country's highest-paid celebrities. The same year, the Indian edition of GQ named him one of the country's 50 most influential young people, calling him the "most bankable star of his generation."
Dhawan married his long-term girlfriend, fashion designer Natasha Dalal, on January 24, 2021.
See also: List of awards and nominations received by Varun Dhawan
 | Denotes films that have not yet been released |
| Year | Title | Role | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2010 | My Name Is Khan | — | Assistant director |
| 2012 | Student of the Year | Rohan Nanda | |
| 2014 | Main Tera Hero | Sreenath "Seenu" Prasad | |
| Humpty Sharma Ki Dulhania | Rakesh "Humpty" Sharma | Also playback singer for song "Lucky Tu Lucky Me" | |
| 2015 | Badlapur | Raghav Purohit | |
| ABCD 2 | Suresh Mukund | Also playback singer for song "Happy Birthday" | |
| Dilwale | Veer Bakshi | ||
| 2016 | Dishoom | Junaid Ansari | |
| 2017 | Badrinath Ki Dulhania | Badrinath Bansal | |
| Judwaa 2 | Raja Malhotra / Prem Malhotra | ||
| 2018 | October | Danish Walia | |
| Nawabzaade | Himself | Special appearance in song "High Rated Gabru" | |
| Sui Dhaaga | Mauji Sharma | ||
| 2019 | Kalank | Zafar Chaudhary | |
| 2020 | Street Dancer 3D | Sahej Singh Narula | |
| Coolie No. 1 | Raju Coolie / Kunwar Raj Pratap Singh | ||
| 2021 | Antim: The Final Truth | Himself | Special appearance in song "Vighnaharta" |
| 2022 | Jugjugg Jeeyo | Kuldeep "Kuku" Saini | |
| Bhediya | Bhaskar "Bhediya" Sharma | ||
| 2023 | Bawaal | TBA | Post-production |
| Year | Title | Role | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|
| TBA | Citadel | TBA | Filming |
| Bio/Wiki | |
|---|---|
| Full Name | Varun David Dhawan |
| Nickname | Pappu |
| Profession | Actor |
| Physical Stats & More | |
| Height (approx.) | in centimeters- 175 cm in meters- 1.75 m in feet inches- 5’ 9” |
| Weight (approx.) | in kilograms- 75 kg in pounds- 165 lbs |
| Body Measurements (approx.) | - Chest: 40 Inches - Waist: 32 Inches - Biceps: 15 Inches |
| Eye Colour | Dark Brown |
| Hair Colour | Black |
| Career | |
| Debut | Film: Student of the Year (2012) |
| Awards, Honours, Achievements | Stardust Awards 2013: Breakthrough Performance (Male) for Student of the Year 2015: Best Actor (Comedy/Romance) for Humpty Sharma Ki Dulhania International Indian Film Academy Awards 2015: Best Performance in a comic role for Main Tera Hero 2017: Best Performance in a comic role for Dishoom |
| Personal Life | |
| Date of Birth | 24 April 1987 (Friday) |
| Age (as of 2022) | 35 Years |
| Birthplace | Mumbai, Maharashtra, India |
| Zodiac sign | Taurus |
| Signature |  |
| Nationality | Indian |
| Hometown | Mumbai, Maharashtra |
| School | Bombay Scottish School, Mumbai |
| College/University | Nottingham Trent University, England |
| Educational Qualification | Graduate in Business Management |
| Religion | Hinduism |
| Food Habit | Non-Vegetarian |
| Address | • A/15, Sagar Darshan, Hanuman Nagar, Off Carter Road, Khar (West), Mumbai • 201 and 202, Beach Wood House at Oberoi Enclave which is Next To JW Marriot Hotel in Juhu, Mumbai |
| Hobbies | Dancing, Swimming and Reading |
| Controversies | • There was a rumour that Sohail Khan slapped Varun Dhawan after an argument, but both denied it. • There was another rumour that Karan Johar organised a drug party at his home where many celebs were present including Varun Dhawan. [1]Hindustan Times |
| Relationships & More | |
| Marital Status | Married |
| Marriage Date | 24 January 2021 (Sunday) |
| Marriage Place | Alibaug |
| Family | |
| Wife/Spouse | Natasha Dalal |
| Parents | Father- David Dhawan, Film Director Mother- Karuna Dhawan |
| Siblings | Brother- Rohit Dhawan, Film Director Sister- None |
| Favourites | |
| Food | Chicken, Cheesecake and Mishti Doi |
| Actor(s) | Govinda and Dwayne Johnson |
| Actress(es) | Priyanka Chopra, Katrina Kaif, Deepika Padukone and Angelina Jolie |
| Film(s) | Bollywood- Guide (1965), Kaagaz Ke Phool (1959), Rang De Basanti (2006), Kuch Kuch Hota Hai (1998), Raja Babu (1994) Hollywood- American Psycho (2000) |
| Singer(s) | Drake, Sonu Nigam |
| TV Shows | Late Show with David Letterman, 1993 |
| Colour(s) | Red and Black |
| Sport | Football |
| Perfume | Gucci |
| Restaurant | Shiv Sagar in Mumbai |
| Dancer | Michael Jackson |
| Travel Destinations | Goa, London and Maldives |
| Style Quotient | |
| Car Collection | • Audi Q7 • Mercedes |
| Bike Collection | • Royal Enfield • Polaris Sportsman 850 (quad bike) |
| Money Factor | |
| Salary (approx.) | 30 crores-35 crores |
| Net Worth (approx.) | 49.58 crores (2018) |
