David Dhawan Reveals He Made Chashme Baddoor Out of Anger: “I Wanted to Get Out of That Rut of Stars”
Ahead of the highly anticipated release of their upcoming family comedy Hai Jawani Toh Ishq Hona Hai on June 5, the father-son duo of director David Dhawan and actor Varun Dhawan took center stage at a special fireside chat. Hosted by PVR multiplexes as part of the ongoing David Dhawan Film Festival, the intimate conversation saw the legendary filmmaker open up about the brutal realities of Bollywood, industry rejections, and how professional frustration led to the creation of his 2013 hit, Chashme Baddoor.
The Fickle Nature of Box Office Success
Reflecting on his decades-long career, David Dhawan did not mince words when discussing how relationships shift in the film industry based on box office performance.
“If a director’s film doesn’t work, toh actor usko dekh ke kahin aur muud jaayega (the actor will look at him and turn the other way). Actor ki jaat hi aisi होती hai! Actor kisi ka saga nahin hai (That is just how actors are; they belong to no one),” the filmmaker remarked candidly.
While the statement drew massive laughs from the audience, it left Varun Dhawan visibly amused yet playfully awkward given his own position as a mainstream actor.
However, David Dhawan was quick to praise one frequent collaborator who defied this industry stereotype. “There’s one actor I worked with who never bothered whether my film worked or not,” he shared. “That actor is Govinda. I remember once when my film didn’t work, I was upset. He told me, ‘Tu script likh na’ (Just write the script)! Then I wrote Shola Aur Shabnam (1992).”
Making Chashme Baddoor (2013) in Anger
When Varun asked his father if there was ever a period where top-tier stars refused to sign his films, the veteran director recalled the casting roadblocks that fueled his 2013 buddy-comedy. David Dhawan clarified that while actors didn’t outright reject his scripts, he could sense a distinct hesitation from established heroes. Frustrated by the constant reliance on star dates, he decided to pivot entirely. “I made Chashme Baddoor in a lot of anger (Bahut gusse mein banayi thi maine),” he admitted. “I wanted to get out of that rut of stars, which was difficult. When you are able to write a good script and secure great music, you can make a successful film with newcomers.”
