"I am growing with my audience. When I made my debut I was 24 and they have grown up with me. They are with me with each choice of mine. I have been lucky that children took a liking to me. The youth and the kids, they come and support me," he told PTI in an interview.
Varun made his debut with Karan Johar's 2012 film and then went on to star in "Main Tera Hero" and "Humpty Sharma Ki Dulhania" but it was Sriram Raghvan's experimental thriller "Badlapur" that helped him garner critical acclaim.
"I met Rohit sir a couple of times as I am a big fan of his work. I heard that he was making a film where he needs an actor of the senior generation and another from the junior one. And then I got the script. I was the first person to be offered this role, even before Shah Rukh sir," said Varun, adding he will not hesitate to call a director if he liked his work.
The actor says "Dilwale" set had become like a family as they shot for 150 days.
"You are bound to get attached as you are shooting for 150 days. No workshop can get this kind of chemistry unless you have a bond. It was like a real family, we got along so well. Shah Rukh sir called me on the first day and said, 'if there is anything you ever need you call me'. He has always been there. He is just there for everyone."
"It is not about money or success in those terms always. Sometimes, even to be appreciated is important. People think the effort is less in popular commercial cinema but that's not true. There were very difficult action scenes. I am standing on a monster truck and jump from there. I look happy doing it but it is not easy."
Varun will be next seen in "Dishoom", which will be directed by his brother Rohit Dhawan. John Abraham, Jacqueline Fernandez and Akshaye Khanna also star in the movie.