New Delhi: Even after 15 years in the business, Varun Dhawan still feels like an actor in search of a personality and a permanent seat at Bollywood’s high table. Sure, he is everywhere, delivering films regularly, but the ‘X-factor’ that cements true stardom is still missing.
He is oscillating between masala entertainers and art films—a sign of a versatile actor; his image in Bollywood hasn’t solidified.
Much of his onscreen charm seems borrowed from Govinda. Take Sunny Sanskari Ki Tulsi Kumari (SSKTK), as a recent example, where he recycles lines like “paka chika pak Raja Babu.” Varun’s energy, from his acting to dialogue delivery to his dance moves, instantly brought back memories of Govinda’s iconic characters from films like Hero No. 1, Raja Babu, and others.
Even in his comfort zone of comedy, he hasn’t really added his own signature to the genre. He has just become a ‘repackaged Govinda.’
His hyper-energetic dance is also appearing to lose its charm now. The song Panwadi from SSKTK made that especially clear. While Varun brought his usual high-octane style, it was Rohit Saraf who stole the spotlight with his effortless, fluid performance. Next to Rohit’s smooth and controlled energy, Varun came off as someone trying a little too hard to impress, making his moves feel more forced than fun.
When his masala entertainers start to lose steam, he swiftly pivots once in a while to deliver films like Badlapur (2015) and October (2018).
Varun’s filmography looks like the flailing arms of someone tossed into the deep end without swimming lessons. He is trying everything, action, comedy, intense drama, not out of creative hunger, but in a desperate attempt to crack his ‘success formula.’ At least, how it appears to be.
Is he the goofy hero? The brooding artist? The everyman? Even he doesn’t seem to know. And until he figures it out, Varun will remain an actor with box-office potential, but unfortunately, with no cinematic identity or legacy.
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Alums of Karan Johar’s acting school
Varun made a grand entry into Bollywood in 2012 with Student of the Year, a film produced by Karan Johar’s Dharma Productions. The film was a hit, and Varun’s boy-next-door charm quickly earned him a massive fan following.
His association with Johar’s glossy, youth-centric cinema, while giving him a solid launchpad, has also pigeonholed him to an extent. His occasional attempts at more serious roles, such as in Badlapur, received praise but didn’t translate into sustained success or a transformation of his star image.
Varun’s career graph also draws our attention to Karan Johar, who is often hailed as Bollywood’s ultimate kingmaker. While his films have consistently been big-ticket affairs, the long-term careers of many of his alums paint a mixed picture.
Alia Bhatt stands out as the undeniable success story among Dharma’s launched talents. Debuting in Student of the Year (2012) alongside Varun Dhawan and Sidharth Malhotra, Alia quickly broke out of the typical “Dharma star kid” stereotype. Her commitment to different and challenging roles in films like Highway (2014), Raazi (2018), and Gully Boy (2019) has earned her critical acclaim and commercial success. Gangubai Kathiawadi (2022) even got her a national award.
In contrast, other actors launched by Johar have struggled to sustain momentum or achieve a similar level of success. Along with Varun, actors like Sidharth Malhotra, who also debuted in Student of the Year, have had a career filled with ups and downs. While Sidharth managed some hits such as Kapoor & Sons (2016) and Shershaah (2021), his career has lacked consistency, and he has not yet reached the superstar status many anticipated during his debut.
Other talents launched by Karan Johar, like Janhvi Kapoor and Ishaan Khatter in Dhadak (2018), and Ananya Panday and Tara Sutaria in Student of the Year 2 (2019), have also struggled to build consistent momentum in their careers. Whether it’s due to typecasting, underwhelming roles, or simply a failure to consistently connect with audiences, their journeys have been somewhat uneven.
That said, Ishaan Khatter has been branching out lately. Last year, he appeared in the American mystery drama The Perfect Couple, and more notably, his 2025 film Homebound has been selected as India’s official entry for the Best International Feature Film category at the 2026 Academy Awards.
While Dharma’s launchpad gives stars a huge initial platform, the responsibility of evolving, experimenting, and connecting with audiences beyond the initial buzz falls on the actors themselves.
(Edited by Saptak Datta)