In response to a Reddit post alleging paid trolling regarding Border 2, Varun Dhawan is being body-shamed.

In the upcoming film Border 2, Varun Dhawan plays the real-life hero of the 1971 India-Pakistan conflict, Major Hoshiar Singh Dahiya. Although there is still a lot of excitement surrounding the movie, the actor has recently been the focus of harsh social media bullying with the release of the movie’s iconic song, Ghar Kab Aaoge. Social internet was inundated with reels and memes that ridiculed Varun’s appearance, dance moves, and facial expressions in the song by a number of content producers, meme pages, and influencers. Using phrases like “bauna” to make fun of the actor’s height and on-screen persona, many of the viral videos turned to body-shaming.

However, a widely shared Reddit thread on Thursday asserted that Varun was the target of a paid trolling campaign. A screenshot of a purported message made to an Instagram content creator suggesting a partnership to critique Varun’s performance in Border 2 was included in the article.

According to the leaked message, creators were instructed to generate a specific kind of negative content targeting the actor. “The idea is to spark real discussion around Varun Dhawan’s performance choices, screen presence, facial expressions, and whether the casting truly fits a film of this scale and legacy,” the note read.

Additionally, the communication included “points to be targeted,” specifically telling producers to make remarks about Varun’s height that implied he wasn’t a good fit for the part. It promoted the usage of disparaging words like “bauna,” “batla,” and “naata,” as well as criticism of his acting and facial expressions. The note’s conclusion, which emphasized that the piece would be a paid collaboration, fueled rumors that the actor’s internet outrage might have been staged.

In the meantime, Varun Dhawan recently told followers on social media that he hasn’t signed any movies since Border 2. He added that because he is playing a real-life military hero, the part was especially meaningful to him.