Actor Varun Dhawan recently addressed the internet buzz surrounding his now-viral smile, choosing humor and openness while engaging with fans during a live Instagram session.
The actor went live on Wednesday while traveling to the Karwar Naval Base for promotional activities related to his upcoming film Border 2. He was accompanied by singer Vishal Mishra during the journey.
Instead of distancing himself from the memes circulating online, Varun leaned into the moment and openly acknowledged the attention his one-sided smile had received.
After greeting viewers who joined the live session, Varun looked at Vishal and said, "I know my smile is trending." The remark immediately set off laughter between the two, signaling that the actor was fully aware of the ongoing chatter and comfortable addressing it.
Keeping the tone playful, Varun went a step further by asking Vishal to recreate the expression that had sparked widespread memes.
He guided him through the process, explaining, "Phele pura smile aur phir ek ko gira do (Give full smile and drop your smile from one side)." The light exchange showed Varun embracing the humor surrounding the situation and turning it into an interactive moment.
Reflecting on the reaction, Varun made it clear that he was not bothered by the jokes. He stated, "No no, I am happy and smiling ke pura Hindustan smile kar raha hai mere saath (I am happy that the whole of India was smiling along with him)." His response positioned the viral moment as a shared laugh rather than a point of criticism.
Earlier, Varun had also responded to criticism directed at his acting in the song from Border 2. In the comments section of a post, a social media user questioned his performance, asking, "Bhai apka acting pe sawal utha raha hai log uske liyeee kya bolega (Bro, people are raising questions on your acting skills. What would you say about that)?"
Varun replied with confidence, writing, "@sahjaan_18 yehi sawaal ne gaana hit karadi sab enjoy kar rahe hain rab di mehar. (This question made the song a hit. Everyone is enjoying it. God is great)."
On the professional front, Varun Dhawan is gearing up for the release of Border 2, directed by Anurag Singh. The war drama stars Sunny Deol, Diljit Dosanjh, Ahan Shetty, and Varun in key roles. The film is a continuation of the 1997 blockbuster Border, originally directed by JP Dutta, and is scheduled for release on January 23. It is produced by Bhushan Kumar, Krishan Kumar, JP Dutta, and Nidhi Dutta.
Varun was last seen in Sunny Sanskari Ki Tulsi Kumari, co-starring Janhvi Kapoor, Sanya Malhotra, and Rohit Saraf. Directed by Shashank Khaitan and produced under Dharma Productions, the film released on October 2 last year but did not meet box office expectations.