BizAsia interviews Varun Dhawan for ‘Humpty Sharma Ki Dulhania’

With ‘Humpty Sharma Ki Dulhania’ set for release this weekend, BizAsia caught up with lead actor Varun Dhawan about the success he has achieved so far in the Indian film industry and his upcoming romantic comedy with Alia Bhatt.

How would you describe ��Humpty Sharma Ki Dulhania�۪?

��Humpty Sharma Ki Dulhania�۪ is a great romantic story, but it�۪s not your typical Bollywood love film. There�۪s a lot of originality, which makes it refreshing for the audience.

What attracted you to this project?

I was actually one of the first people to be approached with the script, by Karan Johar and the rest of the production team. Not only did the script have a lot of heart and soul, but filming the movie presented amazing opportunities. I got the chance to explore North India, including places like Chandigarh, Ambala, Delhi, which was especially exciting because of my Punjabi heritage. It was great to be able to do something Punjab centric, as I felt like I was back home.

How would you describe your character, Humpty?

One thing that makes the film really original is the fact that Humpty is not somebody you would consider a ��hero�۪, in the traditional sense of the word, but rather a character. He�۪s definitely an optimist and a ��hopeless romantic�۪, so I think that will definitely endear him to the audience.

Do you think your character in the film is similar to you in real life?

I think whenever you play a character, there has to be some similarity to your own character. I would say five years ago, I was very similar to Humpty and that�۪s what allows me to relate to the character.

This is your second time working with Alia Bhatt. What�۪s your relationship like?

I definitely consider Alia a great friend of mine. We both made our acting debuts with the same film, ��Student of the Year�۪, and that is something which really bonded us. When I worked with her both times, I had a great experience. She�۪s funny and down to earth.

You have also previously worked with Karan Johar a number of times. What was it like reuniting with him?

I have nothing but the utmost respect for Karan Johar. He�۪s always been a mentor for me, and someone that I really look up to. The first time I worked with him was as his assistant director on the film ��My Name is Khan�۪, which was really my break into the industry. When he cast me in ��Student of the Year�۪, it allowed me to pursue a career in acting, and for that I am very thankful.

‘Humpty Sharma Ki Dulhania’ releases on Friday 11th July at cinemas worldwide.