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Border 2 producer Nidhi Dutta calls out ‘anti-nationals’ running paid smear campaign against Varun Dhawan

Border 2 producer Nidhi Dutta reacted to Varun Dhawan getting trolled for his expressions in the film's song Ghar Kab Aaoge.

Updated on: Jan 8, 2026, 18:19:43 IST
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Ever since the song Ghar Kab Aaoge from Border 2 was released, Varun Dhawan has been facing trolling for his expressions in the video. An X user recently claimed that a paid smear campaign is being run against the actor. Reacting to the allegation, Border 2 producer Nidhi Dutta slammed those allegedly paying to put Varun down and labelled them “anti-nationals”.

Varun Dhawan in a still from Border 2. The film releases on January 23.
Varun Dhawan in a still from Border 2. The film releases on January 23.

Nidhi Dutta slams alleged paid smear campaign against Varun Dhawan

An X user named CineHub tweeted on Thursday, “The LATEST TARGET of this paid smear campaign is #VarunDhawan. Certain Instagram influencers are clearly doing this on instructions, running a full-fledged agenda to malign Varun in #Border2. From body-shaming to selectively targeting his expressions, everything feels forced — especially when his performance is actually perfectly suited for the film. This dirty game needs to STOP because no matter what, #Border2 is going to take a bumper opening everywhere.”

Responding to the post, Nidhi Dutta took to X and wrote, “Congratulations to all the ANTI-NATIONALS who can pay to bring down an actor playing a PVC of this country. This is YOUR film, India! Hope audiences identify and shame these people.”

A Reddit user also shared a screenshot of a chat that allegedly showed messages being sent to influencers, urging them to criticise Varun Dhawan’s performance and expressions in the Border 2 song Ghar Kab Aaoge.

Amid the controversy, Varun offered a measured response to those trolling and criticising his acting skills. When an Instagram user asked him, “Bhai, aapki acting par sawaal utha rahe hain log. Uske liye kya bolega? (Bro, people are questioning your acting skills. What would you say to that?)”, Varun replied, “@sahjaan_18 yehi sawaal ne gaana hit kar diya. Sab enjoy kar rahe hain — rab di mehar. (These very questions made the song a hit. Everyone is enjoying it. God is kind.)”

About Border 2

Directed by Anurag Singh, Border 2 is an epic war drama and a sequel to J. P. Dutta’s 1997 classic Border. The film stars Sunny Deol, Varun Dhawan, Diljit Dosanjh and Ahan Shetty, alongside Mona Singh, Sonam Bajwa, Anya Singh and Medha Rana. Based on the 1971 India–Pakistan war and real-life events surrounding it, the film is scheduled to release in theatres on January 23.

  • Riya Sharma
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    Riya Sharma

    Riya Sharma is a content producer at Hindustan Times who lives and breathes entertainment. If there’s gossip making noise in Bollywood or a reality show moment breaking the internet, chances are she’s already writing about it. She loves digging out the juiciest stories, spotting viral pegs and turning it into easy-to-read content. A journalism graduate from IP University, Riya began her career as a social media executive, where she learned the art of grabbing attention in a scroll-heavy world. But her love for showbiz soon pulled her into entertainment journalism, because for her, it’s always been entertainment, entertainment and more entertainment. An artist at heart, Riya has a deep passion for acting, music and dance, which shapes how she watches and writes about films and reality shows. She loves sharing her views and reviews, especially when something excites, surprises or completely disappoints her. A hardcore reality show fan, Riya enjoys tracking every twist, task and meltdown, and breaking them down for readers who can’t get enough of high-voltage drama. Movies are equally close to her heart, whether it’s a big theatrical release or a binge-worthy OTT series, she’s always watching, and analysing what’s worth the time. She loves talking to celebrities, asking questions that go beyond the usual. When she’s not working, she’s either glued to a new web series, hunting for underrated thrillers on OTT platforms, or rewatching iconic Bollywood moments.Read More

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