Border 2 Actress Ishika Gagneja Reacts To 'Negative PR' Campaign Against Varun Dhawan, Calls It 'Heartbreaking'

Varun Dhawan recently found himself at the centre of a massive online backlash ever since the announcement of Border 2, one of India’s most iconic war film franchises. The actor has been trolled relentlessly for his height, smile, and even called a “misfit” for the role of a soldier in the much-anticipated sequel to Border (1997).

While the film stars Varun, Diljit Dosanjh, Ahan Shetty, and Sunny Deol, a section of social media has been aggressively targeting Varun - a campaign that many now allege is part of a paid negative PR drive. Several content creators have claimed they were contacted to post critical reels and videos against the actor.

Amid this noise, Border 2 actress Ishika Gagneja, who plays Diljit Dosanjh’s sister in the film, has strongly reacted to the trolling and defended Varun Dhawan, calling the hate “heartbreaking” and completely unfair.

The actress said, “It was very heartbreaking when I saw it. To create such negativity and such hate towards someone just felt very wrong. I saw videos where people were talking about his smile. I mean, a smile is a beautiful thing, and to make fun of someone’s smile felt extremely wrong. Why would someone want to shame someone for the way they smile? All of us smile in the most beautiful ways. As actors, what people bring are their human emotions, and that doesn’t mean they have to change the way they feel those emotions. It was very heartbreaking."

"Only snippets of the film have been released so far. The full picture only comes after audiences watch the film and give feedback, which is constructive and very important. But judging someone just on snippets, without knowing the character’s backstory or what led to that moment, feels unfair. People are creating hate just for views and likes. He’s playing a PVC of the country, and it just feels sad. I felt really sad seeing all of this, and I hope that when people watch the film, they realise he has done an amazing job," she added.

Ishika also reaveled if she ever felt Varun was a misfit for Border 2. “No, not at all. From the very first time we shot together, he worked really hard - I saw it myself. He used to discuss scenes with Abhijat sir, asking how we should do certain things, how we should take a scene. He would also talk to me about how we could make a scene better. He was completely there, fully in character, and had worked very hard for it. It wasn’t like he was sitting there in a star’s capacity, thinking it was just another film. He was genuinely working for the film. I never felt he was a misfit. I felt he played the part amazingly well, and I hope that when people watch the film, they’ll realise he’s actually very good in it.”

Ishika also praised Varun for being kind and encouraging on set. "I shot with Varun sir and he was sweet and kind. I had met him earlier at a screening of Dhadak, so I told him that we had met before, and he said he felt the same. During the interval at Dhadak screening, he came up to me and said, ‘You were very good in the film.’ I was honestly shocked - Varun Dhawan knew me. He had just watched the film, and I didn’t even know he was attending the screening. He spoke to my father and told him that I was very good in the film. On Border 2 set, my mother had come with me, and he went up to her and told her the same thing. From the very first day we shot, he kept encouraging me and told me multiple times that I was doing well. That kind of validation from a star like him really boosts your confidence, especially when it’s such a big opportunity and you constantly wonder if you’re doing justice to your part.”