Watch: Varun Dhawan Avoids Shaking Hands With Udit Narayan At ‘Border 2’ Event, Netizens React
Varun Dhawan landed in controversy after a viral video showed him allegedly ignoring Udit Narayan at an event.
Just a day before the massive theatrical release of the war epic ‘Border 2’, lead actor Varun Dhawan has found himself at the centre of a social media storm. Despite their recent collaboration on the film’s soundtrack, a viral video from a promotional event has sparked heated debate regarding the actor's behaviour toward veteran singer Udit Narayan. The controversy began when a clip surfaced online showing Varun posing for the paparazzi at a recent event.
As seen in the video, Udit Narayan approaches the actor and extends his hand for a handshake. However, instead of greeting the singer, Varun appears to refuse the interaction, taking several steps back before walking away to greet Sonu Nigam and Shilpa Shetty at the venue entrance.
Check out the viral video here:
After that kiss scene even Varun Dhawan declined to shake hands with Udit ji. pic.twitter.com/Cu3taBVXta
— Aditya (@Warlock_Aditya) January 18, 2026
The internet was quick to react, with many fans calling the actor’s actions disrespectful toward a legend of the music industry. While some defended the actor, suggesting there might be context missing, the majority of comments were critical:
“That's really very wrong. Udit Ji is a gem, a legend... treating him like that is absolutely disgusting,” one user commented.
“This is wrong,” added another, while a third viewer remained skeptical, noting, "Maybe the reason will be different.”
For the unversed, a video from one of Udit Narayan’s live concerts went viral in February 2025, showing him getting a little too up close and personal to a female fan when she leaned in for a cheek kiss during a selfie.
The clip sparked discussions around consent and inappropriate behaviour, with old videos resurfacing of him kissing singers like Alka Yagnik and Shreya Ghoshal.
Udit Narayan later dismissed the backlash, calling these “affectionate gestures” born from fans’ “deewangi” and clarified the viral clip was from an Australian concert two years ago.
Coming back to ‘Border 2’, the anticipation for the film remains at an all-time high following a high-octane trailer release. Directed by Anurag Singh, ‘Border 2’ promises a gritty, patriotic ride as it follows Indian forces defending the motherland against insurmountable odds.
Apart from Varun Dhawan, the upcoming movie also stars Sunny Deol, Diljit Dosanjh, Ahan Shetty, Mona Singh, Sonam Bajwa, Medha Rana and Anya Singh.
Produced by Gulshan Kumar and T-Series in association with JP Dutta’s JP Films, ‘Border 2’ is scheduled to hit theatres tomorrow, January 23. With the trailer already setting a tone of intense action and ground-breaking scale, the film is expected to be one of the biggest releases of the year.
