In the 1990s and early 2000s, David Dhawan was one of Bollywood’s most successful filmmakers. Known for his entertaining comedy films, he delivered several blockbuster hits that audiences still enjoy today. From working with stars like Govinda and Salman Khan to creating memorable comedy classics, David became a major name in Hindi cinema. However, like many filmmakers, he also went through a difficult phase when his films stopped performing well at the box office.
Recently, during a conversation with his son Varun Dhawan at the David Dhawan Film Festival, the veteran director spoke honestly about that challenging period in his career. He revealed that after the success of Partner in 2007, his next films, Do Knot Disturb and Rascals, failed to impress audiences and did not perform well commercially.
David shared that during this time, he could sense that many big actors were becoming uncomfortable about working with him. According to him, stars were hesitant because his movies were no longer successful at the box office. The director admitted that this phase made him rethink his approach towards filmmaking.
Instead of depending on big stars, David decided to work with fresh faces and newcomers. This decision led to the making of Chashme Baddoor in 2013. The film featured actors like Taapsee Pannu, Divyendu Sharma, Siddharth, and Pakistani actor Ali Zafar. David said he made the film out of frustration and anger after facing rejection in the industry. He also recalled convincing veteran actor Rishi Kapoor to be part of the movie despite having a small role.
The filmmaker further explained that he wanted to move away from constantly working with stars. He believed that if a director has a good script, strong dialogues, entertaining scenes, and good music, then newcomers can also carry a film successfully. David also mentioned that working with stars can sometimes become difficult because actors often interfere in the filmmaking process.
Although Chashme Baddoor received mixed reactions and was not a major box office hit, David Dhawan made a strong comeback later with films like Main Tera Hero and Judwaa 2, both starring Varun Dhawan. The director is now preparing for his next film, Hai Jawani Toh Ishq Hona Hai, which also stars Mrunal Thakur and Pooja Hegde.