Varun Dhawan, who will soon be seen opposite Kiara Advani in JugJugg Jeeyo, is elated that theatres have opened. The film is directed by Raj Mehta and will hit screens on June 24. The Free Press Journal caught up with the actor for an exclusive chat. Excerpts:
JugJugg Jeeyo is your first theatrical release after the pandemic. How are you feeling?
The moment theatres were open, I went and saw many films even abroad. I love watching films on a big screen. I saw Top Gun: Maverick in Paris while I was shooting a film. I love watching films in different countries. You get to see different vibes for a film. I remember watching Harry Potter in Odeon, London. The energy out there was so different. I am really excited that JugJugg Jeeyo is coming out in theatres. It will get family audiences back to the theatres.
Do we need more films like these to get families back to cinemas?
No one knows what is going to work in the theatres. What’s important is that we actually do what we believe in. We all are stepping out with something we love. Coming out of this pandemic, I only wanted people to watch a good film. People have a lot of variety and choices on OTT but not much in films in this genre. I think we have made a good film. I am even confident about showing the film today. If JugJugg Jeeyo works, it will give confidence to a lot of people.
With Badlapur, you tried to change your image, but the majority of films in your career have been comedies. Is it a safe place?
I am very random in picking films. When people think that Varun is all about this particular thing, that’s when I pick something else. There’s Bhediya after JugJugg Jeeyo, which is exactly the opposite of what I am doing right now.
How was it working with Neetu Kapoor?
I have known her since childhood. As kids, I and Rohit (Dhawan) and Ranbir (Kapoor) and Ridhima (Kapoor Sahni) used to go on holidays. She already had maternal instincts for me. We even got Covid-19 together. I was naturally drawn towards her as a son. It was fun to share screen space with her.
Do you believe that OTT has changed the narrative, which is why you need to choose film scripts consciously?
Yes, I want to do things which can run all over the world since the world is getting smaller. We in India are wasting so much time in discussing pan-India while the West is already on the pan-world approach. Good stories will surely cut across. Audiences are never wrong.
How do you take your failures?
I didn’t take them well before, but now I take them decently since my priorities in life have changed. I have learned the hard way to be happy. Happiness is the foremost thing. Each one of us should try to be happy and peaceful.
