Varun Dhawan's tweet clarifying his close encounter with supermodel Gigi Hadid on stage at the Nita Mukesh Ambani Cultural Centre was planned has been backed by choreographer Shiamak Davar. Over the weekend, Varun's performance became controversial because midway through he called Gigi up on stage, lifted her up and planted a kiss on her cheek. Social media went into overdrive criticizing the actor for what it was seen as lack of consent. Now, Shiamak Davar, who directed all the evening's acts including Varun's, has said in an interview that Gigi had come up with the plan. Speaking to Hindustan Times, Mr Davar said, "Varun told me that Gigi said to him, ‘When you are going to be on stage, bring me up', to which he said, ‘Okay'. That's why he picked her up. It was her idea and everything was pre-planned.”
Shiamak Davar also addressed the discussion around consent which has set social media abuzz. Talking to Hindustan Times, he said, “It is not true. It is Gigi who told Varun to do so.” The choreographer adds that he was amazed by the kind of response that moment received. “I couldn't believe how much they loved it. Mukesh had tears in his eyes and Nita was wiping them,” he concluded.
For the unversed, last weekend, the city of Mumbai was lit with the presence of many Hollywood and Bollywood stars. Mukesh Ambani and his wife Nita Ambani held an event celebrating the country's rich cultural heritage. They invited the biggest names in the film fraternity to it. While audiences were treated to stunning performances of by Shah Rukh Khan, Priyanka Chopra, Ranveer Singh, to name a few, there was one act by Varun Dhawan, which did not sit well with some sections of social media. In the video that went viral, Varun Dhawan can be seen lifting supermodel Gigi Hadid and planting a kiss on her cheeks.
Take a look at the video here:
The clip prompted wide criticism of Varun Dhawan on social media which assumed that he had ambushed Gigi Hadid without her consent. After the backlash, Varun tweeted an indignant explanation. "I guess today you woke up and decided to be woke. So lemme burst ur bubble and tell u it was planned for her to be on stage so find a new Twitter cause to vent about rather than going out and doing something about things. Good morning," he wrote.
Read Varun Dhawan's tweet below:
Gigi Hadid too reacted to the video and thanked Varun Dhawan for "making her Bollywood dreams come true." Re-sharing the video on her Instagram stories, she wrote, "Varun Dhawan making my Bollywood dreams come true," followed by laughing emoticons.
Now, take a look at what Gigi said:
Americal supermodel Gigi Hadid was among the many Hollywood stars who attended the opening weekend of the Nita Mukesh Ambani Cultural Centre (NMACC). On Monday, Gigi shared pictures from her Mumbai album on Instagram. From posing against the iconic Gateway of India to relishing coconut water, Gigi Hadid and her team had a blast.
Along with the pictures, Gigi Hadid wrote a heartwarming note for the “Ambani family for hosting me in Mumbai”. She wrote, “Warmest Thanks to the Ambani family for hosting me in Mumbai for the Opening Weekend of NMACC. It was an honor to be there to witness your family's vision come to life, in a beautiful world-class Cultural Center to celebrate and cultivate the creatives and heritage of India.” Gigi added, “After seeing the opening nights of “The Great Indian Musical” and “India in Fashion” exhibit, I learned so much and, know this venue will nurture future generations to explore their passions— from dance to design, from music to art.” Gigi Hadid concluded, “If you have the chance to visit and see these productions — I HIGHLY recommend!!!! Unforgettable first trip to India. Much love.”
Take a look at the post here:
On the work front, Varun Dhawan was last seen in Bhediya. Next, he will be seen in Bawaal with Janhvi Kapoor.