From the slapstick antics in Main Tera Hero to the emotionally painful drama of October and Badlapur, Varun Dhawan has carved his own identity in Bollywood since his acting debut in Karan Johar’s Student of the Year. If you are a fan of this Hindi cinema leading man, our streaming guide will take you through the best Varun Dhawan movies to watch along with all the information you need on where to watch them.
Which Varun Dhawan movies should I watch first?
It’s best to start with Varun Dhawan’s more mainstream and intentionally cheesy films and then progress to more dramatic options. This way, you can see how much the actor has matured over the years.
The son of director David Dhawan, comedy was supposed to be his calling. His father had helmed several successful comedies in the ‘90s and the 2000s starring Govinda and Salman Khan. Borrowing the comedic timing of Govinda and the physical regimen of Khan, Varun Dhawan sought to make his career as a leading man in the 2010s.
After assisting director Karan Johar on his 2010 drama My Name is Khan, Dhawan starred as a brash and rich student in Johar’s 2010 romantic comedy Student of the Year. While the coming-of-age film has its fair share of illogical details and cliches, Student of the Year showcased Dhawan’s confident nature as a conventional hero.
He went on to showcase his talents as a romantic lead in hits like Main Tera Hero (directed by his father David) and Humpty Sharma Ki Dulhania (a parody of classic ‘90s Bollywood romances). Starring in the latter alongside his Student of the Year co-star Alia Bhatt, Dhawan also featured in the movie’s spiritual sequel Badrinath Ki Dulhania.
The actor has also proven his talents as a dancer in Remo D’Souza’s musical dramas ABCD 2 and Street Dancer 3D. Starring in both alongside Shraddha Kapoor, the actor put in the effort to strengthen his dancing skills in an ensemble abundant in many real-life dancers and choreographers.
But perhaps the peak dramatic abilities of Varun Dhawan were reflected in his collaborations with auteurs like Shoojit Sircar (October) and Sriram Raghavan (Badlapur). In October, Dhawan played a grieving hotel staff worker whose life changes forever after his colleague goes through a life-altering accident. His performance is comparatively toned-down here, reflecting a never-seen-before serious avatar. In the violent revenge-drama Badlapur, Dhawan similarly reflected a more mature side to his acting. He played a tormented man seeking vengeance for his wife’s death. His performances in both October and Badlapur garnered him critical acclaim and Filmfare Award nominations.
Since then, he has balanced genre projects with mainstream romances. So, while he starred in the family comedy Jug Jugg Jeeyo, he also starred in the supernatural horror comedy Bhediya later (in which he played a man who accidentally becomes a werewolf).
Why is October Varun Dhawan’s best movie to watch?
October brought out a side of Varun Dhawan that neither critics nor audiences had witnessed before. Revolving around a man’s pursuit of peace after his colleague becomes comatose, October made for an emotional exploration of grief and human nature. While the emotional drama isn’t for everyone, October proved how Dhawan doesn’t always stick to mainstream projects. The Shoojit Sircar film rightfully earned him a Filmfare nomination for Best Actor (Critics) and continues to be ranked among his strongest works.
Where can I watch Varun Dhawan’s movies online?
Below you can find the latest streaming information for Varun Dhawan's best movies. This includes every offer for viewers in India today. We'll also show you if any of his best movies are available to watch online for free.
