Filmmaker Karan Johar recently came out in support of actor Varun Dhawan after the latter faced online criticism for his expressions in Border 2. Varun was trolled on social media for his smile soon after the film’s
trailer and songs were released, with several users questioning his suitability for the role.
However, following the film’s theatrical release on Friday (January 23), the narrative appears to have shifted. Border 2 has opened to positive audience feedback, with packed theatres and encouraging early reviews, prompting Karan to address the trolling and defend the actor.
Taking to his Instagram story, Karan criticised the culture of online negativity and click-driven commentary. “Has to be said... the reason why it's called a virtual world! Real will always score and prove the noise on social media as defunct,” he wrote. Referring to the criticism Varun faced, Karan added, “You can troll an artist for his smile but then he laughs when the film releases to packed houses and he receives pure authentic audience love.”
He further took a dig at social media critics and content creators, stating, “So noisemakers and clickbait seeking content creators can do what they like truth will always prevail.”
While Karan did not name anyone in his post, social media users were convinced that it is for Varun, given the timing of the post and the film's release.
Varun's performance in Border 2 has since been receiving appreciation from viewers, with many praising his screen presence and emotional depth in the film.
Starring Sunny Deol, Varun, Diljit Dosanjh, Mona Singh, Sonam Bajwa and Ahan Shetty, among others, the film generated strong buzz ahead of its opening day, with audiences expressing high expectations for its box office performance. The film has been directed by Anurag Singh.
Ahead of the release, The Free Press Journal conducted a poll on X (formerly known as Twitter), asking netizens to predict the film’s Day 1 box office collection. The results indicate overwhelming confidence in the film’s opening potential. A massive 84.2 per cent of respondents believe that Border 2 will earn between Rs 40 crore and Rs 50 crore on its first day at the domestic box office.
Meanwhile, 14 per cent of voters estimated that the film would open in the Rs 30-40 crore range. Only 1.8 per cent felt the opening would be between Rs 10-20 crore, while none of the participants predicted a collection in the Rs 20-30 crore bracket.
