My father never launched me as it is not a tradition in my family, says Varun Dhawan

Mumbai, Aug 30 (PTI) Actor Varun Dhawan on Friday said his father David Dhawan didn’t direct his debut film as it is not a tradition in his family to launch family members.

Dhawan, who started his career with Karan Johar’s 2012 movie “Student of the Year”, attended the launch event of his niece Anjini Dhawan’s debut film “Binny And Family”.

“She is my niece but I am here as sort of an elder brother… It is a good film that is why I am here. Like my father never launched me because that tradition is not there in my family, he doesn’t believe in that. We have no hand in what she has done and it will be wrong for me to take credit for any of her success.

“Genuinely, she has done it on her own and I am very proud of her that she has done this journey,” Dhawan told reporters here.

Helmed by Ssanjay Tripaathy, “Binny And Family” is a family drama exploring the relationship and complexity between three generations. Anjini plays the titular role of Binny.

Dhawan said he hopes that people shower love and praise on Anjini, just like he and his father received from the audiences over the years.

“It’s an emotional day for me because my uncle Anil Dhawan is a big reason why I’m in the movies. No matter how much I speak, she’s backed up this film… She was not cast because of me or my daddy,” he added.

Dhawan said people from his niece’s generation are smart and don’t live in a bubble.

“They know life is difficult. While I was growing up, everyone was telling me the life ahead won’t be easy but this generation knows already and they are ready to work towards it. So, I think this generation is teaching us something,” he said.

About her debut movie, Anjini said she felt it was a right story for her as she was very close to her grandparents.

“I’ve had a very close relationship with my grandparents. They’re way cooler and modern than my parents. I was really close to my Nana growing up. I lost him just a year before I heard the script. I was in a place where I was not doing so well emotionally.

“And Sanjay sir has written this story with all heart, honesty and a whole lot of emotion. And when I heard it for the first time, nothing felt so right. I felt like it was a sign… It’s not the most common topic in films today. I felt it was sent to me from him and it just felt really right,” she added.

Present at the event was Pankaj Kapoor who plays the role of her grandfather. The veteran actor revealed he is very attached to his grandchildren in real life and treated Anjini as her own granddaughter.

“My grandchildren are currently very young but I am very attached to them and I know they are also very attached to me,” said Kapur, who is the father of Bollywood star Shahid Kapoor.

“This story is more about a slightly mature girl in her teens. The conflict becomes even more because when a girl is there and she’s on her own, trying to reach a point in her life where she wants to be a person of her own kind.

“During the film, I remember probably looking upon her as my granddaughter and always doing the scenes where I felt very comfortable working with her. I was never judgmental about her… It was a wonderful experience for me,” he said.

Produced by Mahaveer Jain Films & Wave Band Productions, “Binny And Family” is scheduled to be released in theatres on September 20.