Varun Dhawan Reacts To Claims Of Inappropriate Behaviour With Alia Bhatt And Kiara Advani: ‘I Did It In Fun'

Actor Varun Dhawan has responded to criticism over his interactions with female co-stars, including Kiara Advani and Alia Bhatt, after certain videos went viral.

Actor Varun Dhawan has responded to criticism over his interactions with female co-stars, including Kiara Advani and Alia Bhatt, after certain videos went viral. The clips, which show Varun kissing Kiara on the cheek during a photoshoot and touching Alia’s belly at a live event, sparked online debates, with some accusing the actor of inappropriate behavior. In an interview, Varun clarified that these moments were harmless and, in some cases, pre-planned. 

Clarifying the Kiara incident 

Speaking on Shubhankar Mishra’s podcast, Varun addressed the question of whether he enjoys being “naughty” with his co-stars. He said, “Chhedam-chhaadi, if it is done in a happy space, a good space, whether it is a man or a woman… I have fun with my male co-stars as well, but nobody mentions that.” 

On the video where he appeared to plant an impromptu kiss on Kiara Advani’s cheek during a photoshoot, Varun explained, “I’m glad you asked me this. It was planned. Both Kiara and I posted that clip. It was for a digital cover, and they wanted some movement and action, so we planned that.” 

When asked why Kiara seemed surprised in the clip, Varun defended her reaction, saying, “She’s a good actress. It was completely planned. I’ll admit when things weren’t planned.” 

Varun admitted that a separate incident, where he attempted to push Kiara into a pool during a promotional event for their film JugJugg Jeeyo, was not pre-planned. The actor grabbed her by the waist and nearly shoved her into the water, prompting Kiara to exclaim, “Stop it, ya.” Reflecting on the moment, Varun said, “That I did on purpose. It was all in good fun. It wasn’t planned. That’s just my nature, I guess.” 

On his dynamic with Alia Bhatt 

Another incident involved Varun touching Alia Bhatt’s belly at a live event. Addressing this, he said, “I did it in fun. It wasn’t flirting. We’re friends.” Varun and Alia share debuted together in Karan Johar’s Student of the Year. 

Varun's next film, 'Baby John', is slated for release on Christmas Day. The film also stars Keerthy Suresh, Wamiqa Gabbi and Jackie Shroff.