From Meme To Major: Varun Dhawan’s Redemption In ‘Border 2’

Varun Dhawan’s turn as Major Hoshiyar Singh in Border 2 is nothing short of a revelation. He brings together innocence and intensity, vulnerability and steel, playing a character who is emotional yet detached, fiercely loyal and deeply patriotic. His performance anchors the film: every nuance, small gestures, that trademark half-smile, and sudden flashes of resolve, adds layers to a role many had prematurely dismissed. When the first song, “Sandese Aate Hain,” dropped, social media was quick to mock Varun, spawning memes that focused on his style of acting and that one-sided smile. Those jokes snowballed into a narrative that he might be the weak link in a high-stakes war drama. But Border 2’s reception has decisively flipped the script. Opening around Rs 32 crore and rallying to over Rs 40 crore on its second day, the film was on track to cross the Rs 100 crore mark by the first weekend and possibly Rs 150 crore with the extended Republic Day holiday. Box-office success has a way of speaking louder than criticism, and in Varun’s case it has been vindication. More than just a personal win, this success has bolstered the film’s consolidated standing and reaffirmed Sunny Deol’s mass appeal, while giving Varun a new lease on his career. Critics and audiences alike are now praising his commitment, range, and the emotional truth he brings to the character. To the trolls who wrote him off early, the answer was simple: deliver a performance that connects—and let the numbers follow. In Border 2, Varun Dhawan has done exactly that, turning mockery into momentum and scepticism into applause.