Varun Dhawan (Hindi pronunciation: [ʋəɾʊɳ d̪ʱəʋən]; born 24 April 1987) is an Indian actor who works in Hindi films. One of India's highest-paid actors, he has been featured in Forbes India's Celebrity 100 list in the 2010s. He starred in… Varun Dhawan (Hindi pronunciation: [ʋəɾʊɳ d̪ʱəʋən]; born 24 April 1987) is an Indian actor who works in Hindi films. One of India's highest-paid actors, he has been featured in Forbes India's Celebrity 100 list in the 2010s. He starred in 11 consecutive box-office successes between 2012 and 2018.
The son of film director David Dhawan, he graduated in business studies from Nottingham Trent University. He began his career as an assistant director to Karan Johar in My Name Is Khan (2010) and subsequently made his acting debut in 2012 with Johar's teen drama Student of the Year. He rose to prominence with leading roles in the romantic comedies Main Tera Hero (2014), Humpty Sharma Ki Dulhania (2014), and Badrinath Ki Dulhania (2017); the action comedies Dilwale (2015), Dishoom (2016), and Judwaa 2 (2017); the dance film ABCD 2 (2015); and the drama Sui Dhaaga (2018).
Dhawan also received praise for portraying an avenger in the thriller Badlapur (2015) and an aimless man coping with loss in the drama October (2018), roles that differed from his usual on-screen persona.
This success was followed by several films that faced critical and commercial challenges starting with the period drama Kalank, though the 2022 releases the family drama Jugjugg Jeeyo and the horror comedy Bhediya were well-received. He has since had his highest-grossing release portraying Major Hoshiar Singh Dahiya in the war film Border 2 (2026). Aside from acting, he is a prominent celebrity endorser for several brands and products. Off-screen, Dhawan is married to designer Natasha Dalal with whom he has a daughter.
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