October celeb review: Varun Dhawan’s best work, Banita Sandhu is lovely

As Varun Dhawan’s October was screened in Dubai last night, the response has been overwhelming. While Karan Johar termed it Varun’s best performance, he also praised newcomer Banita Sandhu.

Days before Shoojit Sircar’s October hits theatres and Varun Dhawan fans gear up too watch him in a new avatar, the makers held a special screening in Dubai and the response is overwhelming. While Karan Johar called the director a genius, he also praised newcomer Banita Sandhu. The film was screened Wednesday evening in Dubai and Varun, Banita and producers Ronnie Lahiri and Sheel Kumar were present for the movie’s premiere show.

October starring Varun Dhawan and Banita Sandhu had its premier in Dubai on Wednesday night. (Instagram)

Varun was especially excited to see his dad David Dhawan, mentor Karan Johar and filmmaker Shashank Khaitan watch his upcoming film. “2 DaDS and one dada @karanjohar @ShoojitSircar #DaViddhawan. Last night I was all nerves as my dad and Karan saw #October as well as @ShashankKhaitan but this picture is a memory I shall never forget. #legends,” he tweeted along with a picture.

The filmmaker also mentioned the cast. “@BanitaSandhu is so so lovely! Her stillness and silences speak volumes ! She has a striking and supremely heartening presence ! Welcome to the movies! Huge mention to Gitanjali Rao for her brilliant performance! #october...@Varun_dvn as Dan is a character I have never met at the movies before! Flawed but so real and so intuitively hearful.....by the end of the film you root for him with a heavy heart....undoubtedly his best work to date.....” he added.

Shashank Khaitan, who directed Varun in Humpty Sharma Ki Dulhaniya and Badrinath ki Dulhaniya, also praised the actor and tweeted, “#OCTOBER ... @Varun_dvn as Dan is brilliant. He is so real and loveable and really brings out the complexities of this 21 year old character. His eyes are so innocent and vulnerable that he makes Dan endearing even in his awkwardness. So happy to see him make such brave choices..”

Check out a few more reactions:

Directed by Shoojit, October stars Varun opposite Banita who makes her Bollywood debut with the film. Talking about Varun, Shoojit had said, “It wasn’t like I wanted to work with Varun Dhawan. I saw him in my office one day and I just found some kind of honesty and innocence in him which I was looking for my character. I went on with him purely on instincts. Though he was an overnight sensation, a star, but there was something really ‘teenage’ and ‘young’ in him.”

A Rising Sun Films Production, the film is set to release on April 13.

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