Actor Varun Dhawan has addressed recent allegations that he crossed boundaries with his female co-stars, including Kiara Advani and Alia Bhatt, after videos of him seemingly behaving inappropriately went viral. In one incident, Varun appeared to plant an impromptu kiss on Kiara’s cheek during a photoshoot, while in another, he touched Alia’s belly during a live event. These actions sparked backlash from a section of the public, who felt the actor’s behavior was inappropriate.
In a recent interview on Shubhankar Mishra’s podcast, Varun responded to these allegations, explaining that the incidents were all in good fun and that no harm was intended. He clarified that the kiss with Kiara was pre-planned. “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,” Varun said.
Addressing the suggestion that Kiara appeared surprised by the kiss, he asserted, “She’s a good actress. It was completely planned. I’ll admit when things weren’t planned.” He acknowledged that other playful moments, such as trying to push Kiara into a pool during an event for their film JugJugg Jeeyo, were spontaneous and unplanned. “That I did on purpose. It was all in good fun. It wasn’t planned. That’s just my nature, I guess,” he said, referring to the moment where Kiara, heard saying, “Stop it, ya,” tried to stop him from shoving her into the water.
Varun also addressed a third incident, where he touched Alia Bhatt’s belly at a live event. He explained, “I did it in fun. It wasn’t flirting. We’re friends.” Varun and Alia, who have been close friends since they made their acting debuts together in Student of the Year (2012), have also starred together in Badrinath Ki Dulhaniya and Kalank.
While Varun insisted that these playful gestures were harmless, he also acknowledged the importance of maintaining respect in all professional interactions. He pointed out that, unlike with female co-stars, his playful moments with male colleagues never attract the same level of scrutiny. Varun will next be seen in Baby John, which is set to release on Christmas Day.