Highlights:
- Karan Johar slammed trolls targeting Varun Dhawan’s smile in Border 2
- He said online criticism fades when audiences respond with genuine love
- Karan praised Border 2 as deeply emotional and powerfully patriotic
- He called the film a “sure-shot winner” after watching it
- Border 2 released nationwide ahead of Republic Day
Filmmaker Karan Johar has come out firmly in support of actor Varun Dhawan after the latter faced online trolling for his smile in the newly released war drama Border 2. Addressing the criticism head-on, Karan dismissed social media backlash as meaningless noise compared to authentic audience appreciation.
Taking to his Instagram Stories on Friday (23), Karan shared a strongly worded message defending Varun and questioning the culture of online outrage. Without naming anyone directly, he referred to critics as “noisemakers” and “clickbait-seeking content creators” who thrive on virtual attention rather than real-world impact.
A screenshot of Karan Johar's story on Instagram about Varun Dhawan's trolling on release of 'Border 2.'Instagram/@karanjohar
In his post, Karan emphasized that trolling an artist over something as trivial as a smile reflects the emptiness of social media criticism. He wrote that while trolls may mock performers online, actors ultimately “laugh when the film releases to packed houses and they receive pure, authentic audience love.”
Karan added that the virtual world often amplifies negativity, but it has little lasting relevance. “That’s why it’s called a virtual world,” he noted, stressing that reality—defined by audience response and theatrical success—always prevails. According to him, genuine connection with viewers renders online noise “defunct.”
Beyond defending Varun Dhawan, Karan Johar also showered praise on Border 2 itself. After watching the film, he shared an official poster on Instagram and revealed that several scenes left him deeply emotional.
“Border 2 moved me to tears in many scenes,” Karan wrote. He described the film as “patriotism with a beating heart,” calling it a “sure-shot winner.” He also tagged lead actors Sunny Deol, Varun Dhawan, Diljit Dosanjh, and Ahan Shetty, along with the film’s director and producers, applauding the entire team for delivering a powerful cinematic experience.
Directed by Anurag Singh, Border 2 is the sequel to the iconic 1997 war film Border. The movie revisits the spirit of large-scale patriotic storytelling, drawing inspiration from real events of the 1971 India-Pakistan War.
Sunny Deol reprises his role as the commanding presence at the center of the narrative, while Varun Dhawan, Diljit Dosanjh, and Ahan Shetty join him as fellow soldiers. The film blends intense battle sequences with emotional drama, aiming to recreate the unapologetic nationalism that defined its predecessor.
The Hindustan Times review noted that Border 2 is not merely content being a sequel, but aspires to make audiences “sit up and salute.” While acknowledging its excesses, the review praised the film’s sincerity and emotionally charged moments, calling it a theatrical experience best enjoyed in a packed cinema hall.
Produced by Gulshan Kumar and T-Series in association with JP Dutta’s JP Films, Border 2 released nationwide ahead of Republic Day, positioning itself as a major patriotic release. With strong word-of-mouth and high-profile backing from industry figures like Karan Johar, the film appears poised for a solid run at the box office.
