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Varun Dhawan reacts to Shashank Khaitan's ‘tedhi smile but cleanest heart’ praise for his performance in Border 2

Shashank Khaitan praised Varun Dhawan's performance in Border 2, while giving it back to the trolls who made memes on his smile. 

Published on: Jan 28, 2026, 14:00:44 IST
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Bollywood actor Varun Dhawan is currently riding high on success as his film Border 2 continues its dream run at the box office. While the actor faced trolling before the film’s release, he is now receiving praise for his performance. Filmmaker Shashank Khaitan, who has worked with Varun on several films, recently praised his performance, taking a jibe at the trolls.

Varun Dhawan's still from Border 2.
Varun Dhawan's still from Border 2.

Varun Dhawan reacts to Shashank Khaitan's 'tedhi smile cleanest heart' praise

On Wednesday, Varun re-shared Shashank’s Instagram story praising him. Shashank wrote, “You might have a ‘tedhi smile’… but you have the cleanest heart and sincere eyes. And all of that is in full display in Border 2. Such a good, solid and sincere performance. Love you, my brother… congrats on this blockbuster and many more to come.”

Varun Dhawan reshares Shashank Khaitan's praise for his performance in Border 2.
Varun Dhawan reshares Shashank Khaitan's praise for his performance in Border 2.

Shashank and Varun have collaborated on multiple films, including Humpty Sharma Ki Dulhania, Badrinath Ki Dulhania and their most recent project, Sunny Sanskari Ki Tulsi Kumari. Shashank’s “tedhi smile but clean heart” remark comes after Varun’s smile in the film's trailer became meme material on social media.

Varun Dhawan’s trolling

Ever since Border 2’s song Ghar Kab Aaoge was released, Varun was trolled for his performance, with many criticising him for “overacting” in the song. Additionally, a smiling still of Varun from Badrinath Ki Dulhania resurfaced online, with several users mocking his crooked smile. However, Varun appeared unfazed and even poked fun at the memes surrounding his smile.

The actor also responded to the trolling by sharing a picture of himself standing in his car and waving the National Flag as a sea of fans surrounded his vehicle, cheering for him. Sharing the image, Varun wrote, “Border 2 🇮🇳. Love will always triumph hate. Thank you 🙏.”

Border 2 director Anurag Singh also reacted to Varun facing negativity before release and told Hindustan Times, “But if you are saying bad things, once you like it, say that too, which is what is happening.” Taking a tongue-in-cheek jibe at the trolls, the filmmaker adds, “Ab maafi ki application submit kar rahe hain to acha hi hai (If you are submitting apology letters, it is good). Like I said, if you criticised it and unnecessarily done so, once you like it, you should say sorry and admit it was wrong.”

About Border 2’s success

In just five days, Border 2 has earned 200 crore at the domestic box office and continues to draw audiences to theatres. Helmed by Anurag Singh and produced by Bhushan Kumar and Nidhi Dutta, the film also stars Diljit Dosanjh, Sunny Deol and Ahan Shetty, along with Mona Singh, Medha Rana and Anya Singh in key roles.

  • Riya Sharma
    ABOUT THE AUTHOR
    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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