Varun Dhawan Hits Back After Influencer Accuses His Team Of Faking Reviews For ‘Hai Jawani Toh Ishq Hona Hai’
Varun Dhawan found himself in controversy after an influencer accused his team of staging fake reviews, triggering a sharp online exchange.
In the age of viral marketing and social media influence, Bollywood promotions often walk a thin line between organic buzz and manufactured hype. However, Bollywood actor Varun Dhawan recently found himself at the centre of a heated online exchange after an Instagram influencer accused his promotional team of attempting to stage fake reviews for his upcoming film, ‘Hai Jawani Toh Ishq Hona Hai’. The controversy began when influencer Simran Bhat posted a Reel detailing an encounter at New Delhi’s Rajiv Chowk Metro station.
According to Simran Bhat, she and a friend were approached by two individuals claiming to be promoting Varun Dhawan’s latest project. The individuals allegedly asked the duo to provide a video review for the film’s first look.
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In her video, Simran Bhat claimed that when she informed the promoters she hadn’t actually watched the teaser yet, they were undeterred.
“The guy said, ‘It’s okay, we’ll tell you what to say,’” Simran Bhat alleged in her video. She further questioned the integrity of the process, asking how a review could be genuine if the content was being scripted by the promoters. The influencer ended her video with a stinging remark, wondering aloud if Varun Dhawan was going through such “bure din” that his team had to resort to soliciting fake reviews from commuters.
The video quickly gained traction, eventually catching the attention of the ‘Bhediya’ star himself. Choosing not to ignore the allegations, Varun Dhawan dropped a pointed comment on the post: “Hope you get the views you really want with this video,” accompanied by a clapping emoji. The response suggested that the actor viewed the influencer’s claims as a strategic move to gain social media engagement at his expense.
However, the exchange didn't stop there. Simran Bhat hit back at the actor’s dismissal, asserting that she was already satisfied with her follower count and engagement levels. She shared a screenshot of Varun’s comment on her Instagram Stories, reiterating that she had no need to manufacture drama for clout.
Adding another layer to the feud, Simran Bhat claimed that Varun had posted and then quickly deleted a second comment which accused her of convincing herself that he had personally sent people to talk to her just to boost her views. Bhat captioned the screenshot of the deleted remark by asking, “All this is fine, but why did you delete this comment?” She concluded by advising the actor to check with his PR team, noting that such incidents were negatively impacting his public image.
The film at the heart of the controversy, ‘Hai Jawani Toh Ishq Hona Hai’, is a highly anticipated romantic comedy directed by David Dhawan. Starring Varun Dhawan alongside Mrunal Thakur and Pooja Hegde, the movie recently grabbed headlines for its quirky first look, which featured AI-generated babies. ‘Hai Jawani Toh Ishq Hona Hai’ is slated for a theatrical release on May 22, but for now, the conversation remains centred on the drama unfolding off-screen.
