- At a press conference celebrating Border 2's success, Varun Dhawan opened up about his bond with Salman
- Varun Dhawan spoke about the emotional support he received from the actor amid trolling
- After Border 2 turned out to be a success, Salman once again reached out to him
At a special press conference in Mumbai celebrating Border 2's blockbuster success, Varun Dhawan opened up about two deeply emotional moments from the shoot. They included his father's hospitalisation and a late-night call from Salman Khan that left an impact on him.
When David Dhawan Was Admitted To The ICU
While filming the Battle of Basantar sequence in Babina, Varun's father, filmmaker David Dhawan, suffered a health setback and was admitted to the ICU. The actor rushed home to be with him and considered staying back.
"I went back home and saw my father in the ICU. I told him I will stay, but he said, 'We make films to entertain people. A producer invests a lot of money. You must go back tomorrow morning and report for your call time,'" Varun recalled.
He added that this moment made him realise how insignificant online negativity was in comparison to real-life struggles. "When such real things happen in life, then what is trolling? It is nothing," he said.
Varun also spoke about the emotional support he received from Salman Khan during this phase. He revealed that when the trolling was at its peak, Salman called him late at night and encouraged him.
"I got a call from Salman bhai at night and he was just laughing. He told me, 'Good things are about to come.' That's all he said. His belief meant a lot to me," Varun shared.
After Border 2 turned out to be a success amid trolling, Salman once again reached out - this time at around 2 am.
"He called me and said he was so happy for all of us. Then he said something that stays very close to my heart. It was 2 am and I stood up on my bed after hearing it. He said, 'I am proud of you, beta,'" Varun said.
The actor added that the words meant even more because Salman rarely praises people openly. "That was a very defining moment for me because he doesn't praise people easily," he noted.
Varun Dhawan On Being Trolled
Ahead of the film's debut, Varun had faced heavy trolling on social media, particularly over his smile in the trailer. Many users questioned whether he could convincingly portray a decorated war hero and Param Vir Chakra awardee in a serious war drama.
Addressing the criticism, Varun said trolling has now become a common trend.
"First of all, trolling happens to everyone. These days it has become a fashion. Some people can take it in their stride, some cannot. Luckily, I could take it. I did not take it very seriously, and I had the support of my family," he shared.
Looking back on the journey, Varun said he relied on faith and belief to get through difficult times.
"At the end of the day, I believed in the film, I believed in Lord Krishna, and whatever this is now, I guess it has become a part of history," he said.
Border 2, starring Sunny Deol, Varun Dhawan, Diljit Dosanjh, and Ahan Shetty, hit theatres on January 23, 2026.
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