On the latest episode of Koffee With Karan 9, Varun Dhawan turned the couch conversation into a warm, candid look at fatherhood and old friendships. The actor said that watching Ranbir Kapoor with his daughter Raha makes him feel “really ashamed” of himself because Ranbir is “so good” in the role.
The discussion began when Karan Johar pointed out that all three leads of Student of the Year—Varun, Alia Bhatt and Sidharth Malhotra—are now parents to daughters. It is the kind of detail that turns a chat show moment into a full-circle marker for fans of the film.
Alia spoke about becoming a mother at 19
Varun said he always knew Alia would be the first among them to have a child. While they were shooting their debut, she would often mention wanting children one day. Janhvi Kapoor, who was also on the couch, noted that Alia was around 19 at the time.
He called the idea “bizarre” back then because Alia herself was so young, but said the wish was something she kept returning to in their early years in the industry.
Ranbir Kapoor, the high bar
The conversation moved to Ranbir, and Varun did not hold back. He described him as amazing and said he is so good as a father to Raha that it makes Varun feel genuinely ashamed. The line was warm rather than competitive, and it framed Ranbir’s parenting as a benchmark.
Raha was born in November 2022, after Alia and Ranbir’s wedding earlier that year. The couple has kept most of her childhood out of the public eye.
From one debut film to three daughters
- Alia Bhatt and Ranbir Kapoor: daughter Raha, born November 6, 2022.
- Varun Dhawan and Natasha Dalal: daughter Lara, born June 3, 2024.
- Sidharth Malhotra and Kiara Advani: daughter Saraya, born in 2025.
Varun admitted he had expected the order to be Alia, then Sidharth, then himself. Sidharth turning out to be the last among the three was a small surprise. He also said there is no awkwardness when the old co-stars meet now; he and Sidharth get along, and his interactions with Alia and Ranbir stay warm.
For fans who grew up with the Student of the Year trio, this is a sweet update: the three newcomers who once played campus rivals are now raising daughters of their own, and talking about it on Karan Johar’s couch.
That mix of nostalgia and present-day warmth is exactly why the episode has become a talking point. Varun’s “ashamed” comment is praise, not insecurity: he is holding Ranbir up as a parent worth learning from.
Source: bollywoodHungama.com