Landing a role in a legacy war film like Border 2 isn’t about luck—it’s about endurance, heartbreak, and holding on when nothing seems certain. Medha Rana, who stunned audiences as Dhanvanti Devi Dahiya, wife of Major Hoshiar Singh Dahiya (Varun Dhawan), has now revealed the emotionally draining, two-year-long journey that led to her career-defining role—and it’s as intense as the film itself.
Medha disclosed that she auditioned twice for Border 2 nearly two years before she was cast—and for two completely different characters. “I did one audition opposite Varun Dhawan for Dhanvanti Devi Dahiya, and another opposite Diljit Dosanjh for Manjit Sekhon,” she shared. That role eventually went to Sonam Bajwa, but at the time, Medha treated it like any other audition. “I gave my audition and moved on. That’s the life of an actor—you don’t wait, you survive.”
Weeks passed. Then came another call. And another audition. And another. After multiple rounds spread over nearly two months, Medha was finally called in to meet director Anurag Singh and casting czar Mukesh Chhabra. “I walked in thinking maybe I’d be offered something. But honestly, I had zero expectations,” she admitted. What followed left her shattered—in the best way. “They told me I was selected. I was so stunned that I just started crying. Only then did it hit me—I was being offered the role opposite Varun Dhawan.”
The moment was deeply personal. Medha immediately called her mother, unable to speak through tears. “I was crying, my mom was crying—it was emotional for both of us,” she said. That call marked the end of years of uncertainty—and the beginning of her arrival.
What made Medha’s performance resonate so deeply is that Dhanvanti Devi Dahiya isn’t just a character for her—it’s lived history. Set during the 1971 India–Pakistan war, the role spans nearly three years of emotional transformation, from hope to fear to resilience. “I researched my character deeply. My biggest inspiration was my grandmother,” Medha revealed. Her grandfather was posted in Nagaland during the 1971 war, while her grandmother was pregnant with her mother—mirroring Dhanvanti’s journey almost exactly. “My nani’s life story is eerily similar to my character’s.”
Medha absorbed her grandmother’s dialect, emotional restraint, and body language, grounding her performance in lived truth rather than theatricality. Despite being from Haryana, she admitted she had never naturally picked up the regional accent. “My mother helped me a lot—and she even helped Varun Dhawan with his Haryanvi dialect,” Medha added, revealing an unexpected behind-the-scenes detail.
Speaking about working with Varun Dhawan, Medha described an atmosphere far removed from star intimidation. “I was nervous when I first reached the set. Varun made me feel comfortable instantly,” she said. According to her, his biggest strength is humility. “He never makes anyone feel like he’s a big star. He’s kind, friendly, and supportive—and he makes everyone around him feel at ease. That made a huge difference for me.”
From auditioning without hope, to breaking down in disbelief, to channeling her grandmother’s real war-time pain, Medha Rana’s journey is not just a casting story—it’s a reminder of what quiet perseverance looks like in Bollywood. With Border 2, she didn’t just enter the industry. She announced herself.