Varun Badola feels Saiyaara would have been a flop with Shah Rukh Khan in lead: ‘He will be too big for the film’

Varun Badola also noted that Jawan would have been a flop if Ahaan Panday was in the lead instead of Shah Rukh Khan.

Actor Varun Badola, who has been getting plaudits for his role in the latest hit Saiyaara, has weighed in on whether films still need big stars to succeed. According to the actor, Saiyaara's success wouldn't have translated if Shah Rukh Khan had been in the lead instead of Ahaan Panday. He believes Shah Rukh’s presence would have overshadowed the film itself.

Varun Badola shared that one can't dismiss the role of stars entirely.

Varun Badola opines

Varun recently appeared on a YouTube podcast hosted by Nayandeep Rakshit, where he strongly disagreed with the idea that the success of Saiyaara proves that stars aren't necessary for a hit. He also noted that Jawan would have been a flop if Ahaan Panday had been in the lead instead of Shah Rukh.

Varun said, “People are saying that this film has proven that we don’t need stars anymore. That’s not true. Abhi tum Ahaan Panday ko utha ke Jawan mein daalo, Jawan flop ho jayegi. Shah Rukh ko Saiyaara mein daal do, Saiyaara flop ho jayegi (Try putting Ahaan Panday in Jawan, Jawan will flop. Put Shah Rukh in Saiyaara, and Saiyaara will flop). Shah Rukh will suddenly become too big for the film, and Ahaan will not have the personality to run Jawan.”

During the conversation, he was also asked about how he thinks Ahaan’s career will shape up. Varun refused to respond, mentioning that it would depend on his choices.

He also spoke about the whole chatter around nepotism and the rise of content-driven cinema. Varun feels dismissing the role of stars entirely oversimplifies the equation, mentioning, “It’s about matching the right talent to the right story.”.

About Saiyaara

Directed by Mohit Suri, Saiyaara became a surprise blockbuster starring debutants Ahaan Panday and Aneet Padda. It shattered records, grossing over ₹500 crore globally, becoming the highest-grossing Indian romantic film ever. The film tells the story of a struggling and troubled musician, Krissh Kapoor, who meets an aspiring journalist and a poet, Vaani Batra (played by Aneet Padda). As they work together, they fall in love with each other. Varun essayed role of Ahaan aka 'Krish Kapoor's father.

The story shows whether they unite in the end. The film also stars Rajesh Kumar, Geeta Aggarwal, Alam Khan and Shann Groverr. The film was released on July 18.