Meet actor who gave 10 back-to-back hits, 8 of them entered into Rs 100 crore club, wanted to become wrestler but…, is son of Bollywood’s famous…, his name is..
Launched under Karan Johar’s banner, Varun made a flashy debut in 2012, and for the next six years, didn’t taste a single flop. In an era where legacy stars often face backlash, Varun quietly racked up one hit after another, making him one of the most bankable names in Bollywood’s mainstream space.
Let’s break down the films that fuelled his unstoppable run:
1. Student of the Year (2012)
Budget: Rs 55 crore
Collection: Rs 109 crore
Karan Johar’s campus drama launched three fresh faces, Varun, Alia Bhatt and Sidharth Malhotra, with gloss, glamour, and chartbusters.
2. Main Tera Hero (2014)
Budget: Rs 35 crore
Collection: Rs 78 crore
Directed by his father, David Dhawan, this loud, zany rom-com firmly established Varun’s massy hero appeal.
3. Humpty Sharma Ki Dulhania (2014)
Budget: Rs 35 crore
Collection: Rs 119 crore
This modern-day DDLJ tribute saw Varun pair up again with Alia Bhatt in a rom-com that charmed small-town audiences.
4. ABCD 2 (2015)
Budget: Rs 65 crore
Collection: Rs 166 crore
Remo D’Souza’s dance sequel had Varun matching steps with Shraddha Kapoor and Prabhudeva, and cashing in on India’s dance film craze.
5. Badlapur (2015)
Budget: Rs 25 crore
Collection: Rs 78.8 crore
This gritty revenge thriller directed by Sriram Raghavan showed Varun’s darker, edgier side and earned him critical respect.
6. Dilwale (2015)
Budget: Rs 165 crore
Collection: Rs 387 crore
Sharing screen space with SRK and Kajol, Varun held his own in Rohit Shetty’s mega entertainer, playing a key role in its mass appeal.
7. Dishoom (2016)
Budget: Rs 60 crore
Collection: Rs 119.5 crore
A slick buddy-cop action flick where Varun’s comic timing balanced John Abraham’s brawn, a commercial win.
8. Badrinath Ki Dulhania (2017)
Budget: Rs 45 crore
Collection: Rs 202 crore
Another hit pairing with Alia Bhatt, the film explored love, patriarchy, and small-town quirks, and hit the jackpot again.
9. Judwaa 2 (2017)
Budget: Rs 65 crore
Collection: Rs 227.5 crore
A reboot of Salman Khan’s 1997 cult comedy, this David Dhawan directorial had Varun in a double role and the audience in splits.
10. Sui Dhaaga (2018)
Budget: Rs 50 crore
Collection: Rs 125 crore
A departure from his usual style, this grounded tale of self-reliance opposite Anushka Sharma earned both commercial and critical praise.
From rom-coms to revenge thrillers, dance flicks to action dramas, Varun Dhawan’s early years weren’t just lucky, they were calculated. Ten films, ten hits, and a career that rewrote the star kid narrative.
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