'90% actors are very lonely': Varun Dhawan on fame's pressure
What's the story
Bollywood actor Varun Dhawan recently opened up about the loneliness that comes with fame. He said that many actors, despite living glamorous lives, struggle behind the scenes. Speaking to Bombay Times, he reflected on the pressures of stardom and stressed the importance of being authentic. "Actors' lives are very lonely. Ninety percent of actors are very lonely," Dhawan said.
Authenticity in stardom
Dhawan on why he doesn't put up a 'facade'
Dhawan, who debuted in 2012 with Karan Johar's Student of the Year, said he realized this pressure early on. Hence, he decided not to create a separate on-screen persona. "Luckily, from the beginning, I've dropped the facade. What Varun is there, Varun is here also," he said. "I can't pretend because somewhere it (the bubble) would burst."
Unfiltered honesty
'What's the most that can happen? They'll cancel you'
Dhawan admitted he was even more outspoken in his early interviews. He said, "If you see my earlier interviews, I was even moohfat and aur bhi bakwas karta tha main." "Now, people are getting more conscious because of social media. But what's the most that can happen? They'll cancel you." The actor also spoke about the pressure celebrities face online, citing Salman Khan as an example of someone who remains unapologetically himself despite constant scrutiny.
Celebrity behavior
'You've got to be yourself, whether that's good or bad'
Dhawan said that authenticity matters more than maintaining a polished, curated image. "You've got to be yourself, whether that's good or bad, but at least you'll be yourself. Otherwise, you won't even realize what you've become." He added, "When I see Salman bhai's posts at night, he's going into another zone only." Khan has been in the news lately for sharing selfies with cryptic, funny captions on his Instagram handle late at night.