Varun Dhawan defends Auschwitz, Hitler analogies in Bawaal, takes a dig at Bhagavad Gita scene in Oppenheimer: “Don’t understand where that sensitivity or the trigger goes when they watch an English film”

Bawaal starring Varun Dhawan and Janhvi Kapoor released on Prime Video on July 21. Helmed by Nitesh Tiwari, the film has opened to mixed reviews. While many applauded the performances of the actors, they were equally criticized for the analogies related to Auschwitz, Hitler and World War II references. The makers were being called insensitive for using a highly sensitive topic as analogies in a romance drama. Varun Dhawan recently defended Bawaal saying that people can’t have different yardstick for films.

Speaking to Pinkvilla, the actor said, “I’m not new to criticism. My films Judwaa, Main Tera Hero, and ABCD2, have been criticized which is totally cool. I respect the criticism. What I don’t understand like how Sir (Nitesh Tiwari) said that it’s a context and the protagonist is from Lucknow and it’s showing that the character which is Ajju Bhaiya is initially a tone-deaf character. This is how it has been shown and it’s not showing the character as a hero but as a negative. That’s why all the praise is coming for the character that a hero for the first time gets to do a negative character. So the character is supposed to be negative. So the way Nisha (Janhvi’s character) will explain him in a way that he should understand.”

He added, “Secondly, I respect everyone’s opinions and everyone has a right to have an opinion. Some people got triggered and sensitive about this but I don’t understand where that sensitivity or the trigger goes when they watch an English film. They are allowed to do and show everything and you will find that in a correct way.”

Without mentioning the name Oppenheimer which is embroiled in controversy surrounding Bhagavad Gita appearance during a sex scene between Cillian Murphy and Florence Pugh, Varun Dhawan said, “I know people who felt very triggered after watching the small scene from a recently released film but it’s a scene that is very important to our culture and our country but that is okay for you. So where does the criticism go then? But with us, you wanna get personal. You cannot have a different yardstick to measure everyone and it should be the same. There is no need for judging films this way.”

Starring Varun Dhawan and Janhvi Kapoor, Bawaal is a love story by Sajid Nadiadwala’s production banner Nadiadwala Grandson Entertainment in collaboration with Ashwiny Iyer Tiwari and Nitesh Tiwari’s Earthsky Pictures.