I needed October: Varun Dhawan

Varun Dhawan is at the peak of his career, and with barely any bad results behind him, he’s taking the chances and not playing safe with his choices. After delivering a hit with Judwaa 2, the actor will now be seen in Shoojit Sircar’s October.

“Shoojit and Juhi (Chaturvedi) have put everything in the film — their personal experiences, passion for cinema and dedication; everything. I was the last to be cast in the film. It was Banita (Sandhu) who was cast first. I think this is the right way to get an ensemble for the film, where the motivation isn’t to pick someone who is doing well (commercially),” he explains.

“Shoojit cast me before Judwaa 2 and Badrinath Ki Dulhania released. We were on talks since then,” adds Varun. “When he narrated the film to me and told me why he wants to make it, I was so moved. Honestly, I need this film the most in my career. More than anyone else does.”

Shoojit, who has earlier done the light-hearted Vicky Donor, says that Varun didn’t come with any baggage. “I had a different perception (of him) altogether. It was one of people who become stars overnight and have a crazy fan following. It’s something that I’m not used to. I’m used to my kind of cinema. If people like it, I’m happy. If they don’t, I’m happy anyway because I got to tell them my story.”

About Varun, he adds, “I asked him ‘Will you surrender yourself and are you honest?’ I asked him to be himself in the movie. I asked him to not check his phone — as was his habit — first things in the morning, to prepare for the movie. Instead, I told him to go and sit in front of a plant and watch it for 10 minutes. That was his job.”

In October, Varun will be seen playing the role of a sweet, mischievous young man, trying to get into the hospitality industry. He says, “The movie is based on honesty. I couldn’t do anything else that I do in other films. I couldn’t take my shirt off, couldn’t behave cute… I stopped applying make up too, and still he (Shoojit) would come and say ‘Make it a little less’.”