'Negativity sells': 'Border 2' makers slam netizens trolling Varun Dhawan
What's the story
The makers of Border 2 have come out in support of lead actor Varun Dhawan, who has been facing severe trolling for his expressions and smile ever since the film's promotional material was dropped. However, after the film's release, Dhawan earned laurels for his act. Producer Bhushan Kumar and director Anurag Singh further defended his performance, praising his versatility as an actor. They also emphasized that the negative comments could have a serious impact on actors' mental health.
Director's perspective
'People said, 'He's going to spoil 'Border'
Singh slammed the online negativity and told News18, "Until and unless you've watched something, you can't judge it. When you put up units from a film, they're taken out of context." He added that the trolling was "more personal" and went beyond just the film. "There's so much negativity just for the heck of it. Maybe, negativity sells." "People said, 'Look at his smile! He's going to spoil Border because of the way he smiles.' It's highly toxic."
Mental health concerns
'If intent is to mentally harm someone, that's not nice'
Singh also expressed concern over how these comments could have affected Dhawan and his family. He said, "If the intent is to mentally harm someone, that's not nice. What you say affects them, their personality and how they behave." "They may go into depression and get sad and angry. There's a whole ecosystem around them. We don't know the impact this could've had on his family."
Motivated trolling?
Was it part of a motivated campaign?
Singh hinted that the trolling could be part of a motivated campaign. He said, "It's okay to react to work and express that you didn't like his performance. That's a right the audience has." "But in this case, it's not like the general public was commenting. A certain section on social media was saying it." "People need to realize that actors expose themselves emotionally to the whole world in front of the camera."
Actor's defense
'Look at the effort of the man in the film!'
Singh further defended Dhawan, saying, "They have to realize that actors too are human beings. They aren't just images on the screen that are open for you to troll and abuse." "It's a god-given smile. Aur kaise hi hasega woh? It's not like he cultivated or acquired it over time. Look at the effort of the man in the film! Look at what he's done in it!"
Actor's versatility
'He's the same guy who did 'Badlapur'
Singh lauded Dhawan's previous performances, citing them as proof of his versatility. He said, "He's the same guy who did Badlapur. That was one of his earliest films. He did October too. Look at the range he has! He's a capable actor." Producer Kumar told News18 how Dhawan was feeling with the positive reaction to his performance: "Varun is relaxed now and is enjoying the success. He's very happy. People who said such nonsense things are now appreciating his work."