For a decade, Varun Dhawan has vied to fill the void of the goofy hero left by Govinda and 90s’ Salman Khan. In a spate of films - some of them remakes of these stars’ films - he has tried to be the Millennial Hero No 1. But curiously, his best performances have come when he has shed this veneer and tried to dig deep with greater intensity. From Badlapur to October, the examples are right there.
Of late, he has tried to become more of a mass action hero than ever before. Bhediya has served him well in that regard, while Baby John was a miss. But Border 2 can take that to another level, if done well, that is.
Varun Dhawan turns angry young man in Border 2
The first poster of the upcoming war film transforms Varun into a soldier, the quintessential angry young man on the battlefield. He weilds an automatic weapon and is charging at the enemy, nostrils flaring and a blood-curdling war cry on his lips. It’s a side of Varun Dhawan that you won’t see in JugJugg Jeeyos of the world.
The reaction to the look has varied from excitement among the actor’s fans to bewilderment among the more neutral audience. It is certainly a gamble from Varun’s side to attempt to be this drastically different from what is usually expected of him.
Fans react
Varun’s fans want him to do more such films and bring greater intensity to his roles. One comment on Instagram read, “Do you realise how much potential you still hold. And how it ends up getting underutilised when you work with your father or work particularly in comedy films. You blew my mind away with your performance in #Badlapur and #Bhediya. That shows that you can indeed bring depth and likability to the most unlikely characters, also. Please consider this advice from a genuine fan and step away from comedies for at least the next 5 years.”
{{/usCountry}}Varun’s fans want him to do more such films and bring greater intensity to his roles. One comment on Instagram read, “Do you realise how much potential you still hold. And how it ends up getting underutilised when you work with your father or work particularly in comedy films. You blew my mind away with your performance in #Badlapur and #Bhediya. That shows that you can indeed bring depth and likability to the most unlikely characters, also. Please consider this advice from a genuine fan and step away from comedies for at least the next 5 years.”
{{/usCountry}}Abhishek, a moviegoer fond of the actor, adds, “I like Varun’s look in this movie; it’s very different from what he usually does. I really feel he can slay this role, and show he is capable of more than just comedy.”
Even the neutral observers believe that this gives Varun the best shot at being a mass hero that pretty much everyone wants to be. “I think he's actually gonna be decent in this film,” read a comment on Reddit, a platform usually replete with negativity. Yes, the negative nepo jibes exist in the thread, but there are some hopeful comments too. And it is not without reason. Badlapur exists as proof of Varun’s acting chops and his ability to bring raw intensity on screen. What he truly needs is a director who can mould him. Can Anurag Singh do that in Border 2? If the poster is any indication, it’s a promising start, at least.
Border 2 also stars Sunny Deol, Diljit Dosanjh, and Ahan Shetty. The film releases in theatres ahead of Republic Day 2026.
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