New Delhi, May 26, 2026: The glitz and glamour of Bollywood events often bring out the most unexpected and hilarious inside stories. At a recent PVR fireside chat organized as part of a film festival celebrating the veteran comic-caper director David Dhawan, the filmmaker was at his candid best. Sharing the stage with his star son, Varun Dhawan, David went down memory lane, leaving the audience in splits with a cheeky, unfiltered joke about two of Bollywood’s biggest veterans: Sanjay Dutt and Madhuri Dixit.
The filmmaker hilariously recalled teasing Sanjay Dutt about his decision to sign Karan Johar’s 2019 multi-starrer period drama Kalank, jokingly asking him: “Tu kyun kiya yeh picture? Madhuri Dixit thi iss liye?” (Why did you do this movie? Was it because Madhuri Dixit was in it?).
The lighthearted banter quickly went viral across entertainment news outlets and social media platforms. It offered a rare, humorous peak into the deep camaraderie shared by industry veterans who can playfully roast each other over past relationship rumors and box-office misfires.
The Heartbreak of a Box-Office Disaster
The conversation originally sparked from a place of vulnerability and professional reflection. Varun Dhawan opened up about the emotional toll of dealing with the very first box-office flop of his career. Having enjoyed an uninterrupted streak of commercial hits since his debut in 2012, the crushing failure of Kalank shook him to his core.
Varun recalled his state of mind at the time, wondering how and why a film that demanded so much sweat and tears could fall so flat. It was his father, David Dhawan, who stepped in to anchor him, comforting him with a simple piece of industry wisdom: “It is just the law of averages.”
However, David Dhawan admitted that the failure of Kalank didn’t just affect his son—it deeply depressed him as well. Highlighting the sheer scale of the production, David quipped:
The period drama, bankrolled by Dharma Productions, was mounting on a massive budget with an ensemble cast featuring Varun Dhawan, Alia Bhatt, Aditya Roy Kapur, Sonakshi Sinha, Sanjay Dutt, and Madhuri Dixit. Despite the breathtaking sets and grand scale, the movie failed to resonate with audiences, becoming a critical and commercial disappointment.
When David Teased ‘Sanju Baba’
Moving from the somber reflection of the flop, David Dhawan shifted gears into his classic, mischievous comedic tone. He revealed that his long-time friend and collaborator, Sanjay Dutt, was noticeably upset and visibly distressed by how things were panning out during the making and release of the film.
Seeing his friend down in the dumps, David chose humor to break the tension. He decided to pull Sanjay’s leg by referencing his famous, highly publicized history with co-star Madhuri Dixit from the early 1990s.
The joke immediately brought the house down. In the late 1980s and early 1990s, Sanjay Dutt and Madhuri Dixit were one of the most celebrated on-screen pairings in Indian cinema, starring together in iconic blockbusters like Saajan (1991) and Khalnayak (1993). Media reports and industry whispers from that era heavily implied a real-life romance between the two mega-stars. However, their relationship came to an abrupt, permanent halt following Sanjay Dutt’s arrest in 1993 in connection with the Mumbai blasts case.
For over two decades, the two stars maintained a strict professional distance and avoided sharing screen space. That streak was broken when Karan Johar managed to pull off a casting coup by bringing them back together for Kalank—a role that was originally intended for the late actress Sridevi before her untimely demise.
David Dhawan, who directed Sanjay Dutt in some of his most memorable comedy blockbusters like Haseena Maan Jaayegi (1999) and Jodi No.1 (2001), knew he could get away with the playful dig. The anecdote perfectly captured the unfiltered “boomer humor” of an older generation of Bollywood filmmakers who aren’t afraid to poke fun at sensitive, unsaid industry histories.
A Lifelong Bond and Industry Realities
The fireside chat wasn’t just about making fun of old flops and past romances. It also shed light on the incredible, decades-long bond between David Dhawan and the Dutt family. David fondly recalled his early days as an editor working on Mahesh Bhatt’s Naam (1986), which starred Sanjay Dutt. He credited Sanjay with giving him his first real break as a director, remembering how “Sanju” walked into the editing room one day and promised to help him direct a film.
David also expressed immense respect for Sanjay’s father, the late veteran actor Sunil Dutt, describing him as a deeply encouraging and great man who would often ask David to keep an eye on his mischievous but lovable son.
Beyond the nostalgia, the conversation highlighted a universal truth about the film industry: no matter how much effort is poured into a project, the audience remains the ultimate judge. Varun Dhawan added a final, heartfelt note to the discussion, emphasizing that Kalank remains the hardest he and the team have ever worked on a single movie.
Looking Ahead to the Next Dhawan Venture
While looking back at past failures brought plenty of laughs, the Dhawan duo is firmly focused on the future. David Dhawan is currently gearing up for his next directorial outing, titled Hai Jawani Toh Ishq Hona Hai.
The upcoming comic entertainer has generated significant buzz, especially after filmmaker Karan Johar recently penned an emotional note on social media declaring that this project will serve as David Dhawan’s final directorial film before retirement.
If David Dhawan’s off-screen wit and classic comedic timing at the fireside chat are any indication of what’s to come, fans can look forward to a healthy dose of vintage, laugh-out-loud entertainment when the film hits theaters this June.