‘Trolling happens with everyone...’: Varun Dhawan reflects on criticisms

Actor Varun Dhawan said social media trolling doesn't bother him much as he had the support of family and well-wishers including Salman Khan.

On Thursday, At the success press conference of "Border 2", Dhawan was asked about the trolling he faced.

Notably, after the film’s song “Ghar Kab Aaoge” came out, a section of social media users criticised Dhawan’s expressions in the track with some questioning his performance and arguing that he does not fit the role of a soldier.

 Meanwhile, Border 2 earned over Rs 300 crore since it hit theatres on January 23.

"Trolling happens with everyone. It's become a thing, it's become a fashion. Some people can take it in their strides, some people can't take it in their strides. Luckily, I could take it. I never took it seriously. I took it on face value. Luckily, I have family support," Dhawan said during the film's success press conference The actor recalled that during the shoot of a pivotal war sequence in the film, his father, filmmaker David Dhawan, was rushed to hospital and admitted to the intensive care unit after a health scare.

"Obviously, the team knew about it, so I took a flight and went back home. I went to the ICU and saw my father. He said, 'How can you come back? Your shooting is going on.' I told him, 'I am not going back, I will stay here.' "And my father said, 'No, we make films and entertain people. There is producers' money involved. You will go back tomorrow morning and make it for your call time.' In life, such things happen. You face so many things, then what is trolling? It's nothing. So all this doesn't make a difference to me," he said.

The actor claimed he was made fun of for his crooked smile in the film, which he had originally made for "Badrinath Ki Dulhania" in 2017.

"The thing I got trolled over is something that I did in 'Badrinath ki Dulhania'. It was that crooked smile, so they (trolls) are copying me. I was like, 'It's okay if it helps you.' But it doesn't make a difference as it was a serious character. My next is comedy and I guarantee that I will use it in comedy. Why should I let it go." Dhawan also revealed that when he was being trolled, superstar Salman Khan called him.

"When these things (trolling) happen, the people who stand with you are very important. During that time, I got a call from Salman Bhai at night. He was laughing and said, 'Good things are about to come'. And his advice and his belief meant a lot to me.

"When 'Border 2' released and did so well, he called me again and he said, 'I'm so happy for all of you.' And something he said, which stays very close to my heart... it was 2 am in the night and I jumped on my bed. He said 'I am proud of you Beta.'" Calling it a "defining moment", Dhawan said the compliment meant a great deal because Khan does not praise people easily.

"But what he said gave me a lot of confidence. And at the end of the day, I believed in the film and believed in god," he said.

Alongside Sunny Deol, Diljit Dosanjh, and Ahan Shetty, "Border 2" also stars Mona Singh, Sonam Bajwa, Anya Singh, and Medha Rana in important roles.