David Dhawan turns 75: Varun leads birthday wishes for 'chillest dad'
Synopsis
David Dhawan's 75th birthday brought together Salman Khan, Varun Dhawan, Karisma Kapoor, and Sajid Nadiadwala in a rare industry-wide show of affection. The milestone also spotlights one of Bollywood's most durable director-son partnerships, spanning four films across more than a decade.
Key Takeaways
David Dhawan turned 75 on Sunday, 16 August , celebrated with a star-studded gathering.
Varun Dhawan posted a birthday tribute on Instagram, calling David the 'chillest dad..75 hard.' Salman Khan , Karisma Kapoor , Sajid Nadiadwala , and Rumy Jafry were among those present or who shared tributes.
Varun and David have collaborated on four films : 'Main Tera Hero' (2014), 'Judwaa 2' (2017), 'Coolie No.
1', and 'Hai Jawani Toh Ishq Hona Hai' (2025).
David Dhawan has directed over 40 films across a career spanning more than three decades.
Bollywood actor Varun Dhawan marked filmmaker David Dhawan's 75th birthday on Sunday, 16 August with a warm Instagram post, calling his father the 'chillest dad' in a caption that quickly drew attention from the film fraternity. The elder Dhawan celebrated the milestone surrounded by close friends, family, and prominent names from the Hindi film industry.
Varun's Birthday Post
Varun shared a photograph on his official Instagram handle showing him hugging David from behind, both smiling broadly at the camera. The caption read: 'Happy birthday to the chillest dad..75 hard (sic).' Actress Karisma Kapoor, a frequent collaborator of David's, commented on the post: 'Happy 75th to Davidji.'
A Star-Studded Celebration
Writer and director Rumy Jafry shared glimpses from the birthday bash on his own social media handle. Among the photographs, David Dhawan was seen posing alongside Salman Khan, Varun, and several other guests. Filmmaker and producer Sajid Nadiadwala was also present at the gathering. One image captured Varun planting a kiss on his father's cheek, with the assembled guests applauding the moment, while another showed the group gathered around David during the cake-cutting ceremony.
A Prolific Father-Son Collaboration
Over the years, David and Varun have built one of Bollywood's most consistent director-actor partnerships. Their first collaboration was the 2014 romantic comedy 'Main Tera Hero', which also featured Ileana D'Cruz and Nargis Fakhri. In 2017, the duo reunited for 'Judwaa 2', a reboot of David's earlier hit, where Varun played a double role as Raja and Prem.
They subsequently worked together on the remake of David's 1995 classic 'Coolie No. 1', with Sara Ali Khan as the female lead, replacing the original's Govinda. Most recently, 2025 saw them collaborate on the romantic entertainer 'Hai Jawani Toh Ishq Hona Hai', co-starring Mrunal Thakur and Pooja Hegde. David's ability to reinvent crowd-pleasing entertainers across decades remains a defining thread of his career.
David Dhawan's Legacy
David Dhawan is widely regarded as one of Hindi cinema's most commercially successful comedy directors, with a career spanning over three decades and more than 40 films. His collaborations with Govinda in the 1990s defined a generation of mass entertainers. As he turns 75, the outpouring from colleagues underscores the affection he commands both on and off set. With 'Hai Jawani Toh Ishq Hona Hai' already in the pipeline this year, the filmmaker shows no signs of stepping back from the director's chair.
Point of View
Often dismissed by critics, has found a second life through the father-son Dhawan partnership. Four collaborations in roughly a decade is an unusually tight creative bond for a director-actor pair who are also family. The question worth asking is whether their next project together will attempt something beyond the comfort zone of the crowd-pleasing formula, or whether the formula itself is the point. For an industry increasingly chasing OTT sensibilities, David's unabashed commitment to theatrical spectacle is either an anachronism or a corrective — depending on who you ask.
NationPress
17 Aug 2026
Frequently Asked Questions
How old is David Dhawan and when did he turn 75?
David Dhawan turned 75 on Sunday, 16 August. The filmmaker celebrated the milestone with a gathering of close friends and colleagues from the Hindi film industry.
What did Varun Dhawan post for David Dhawan's birthday?
Varun Dhawan shared a photo on Instagram showing him hugging his father from behind, with the caption 'Happy birthday to the chillest dad..75 hard (sic).' The post drew comments from several Bollywood personalities, including Karisma Kapoor.
Who attended David Dhawan's 75th birthday celebration?
The birthday bash was attended by Salman Khan, Varun Dhawan, Sajid Nadiadwala, Rumy Jafry, and other members of the film fraternity. Rumy Jafry shared photographs from the event on social media.
How many films have Varun Dhawan and David Dhawan made together?
Varun and David have collaborated on four films: 'Main Tera Hero' (2014), 'Judwaa 2' (2017), 'Coolie No. 1', and most recently 'Hai Jawani Toh Ishq Hona Hai' (2025).
What is David Dhawan known for in Bollywood?
David Dhawan is one of Hindi cinema's most commercially successful comedy directors, with over 40 films across three decades. He is particularly celebrated for his 1990s collaborations with Govinda, which defined a generation of mass entertainers.
