Backed by stunning Samantha, spy Varun Dhawan as 'macho-action-hero' gets awesome 'reactions' in spectacular trailer of ‘Citadel: Honey Bunny’ on Prime Video ! by Chaitanya Padukone

Mentor film-maker Karan Johar would be delighted to know that his star-discovery brilliant actor-dancer Varun Dhawan (whom launched in SOTY year 2012) has now also proved his excellence as a macho-man in high-octane action and stunt scenes!

As is evident in Prime Video’s tantalizing action-packed and emotions-studded trailer for their Original series, “Citadel: Honey Bunny” where Varun plays the orphan boy who ends up as an intelligent rugged, tough-guy smart, and daring spy-agent ‘Bunny’ ( Rahi Gambhir). The vibrant Varun is paired with the Southside mega-star Samantha Ruth Prabhu who also plays spy-agent ‘Honey’ and Bunny’s partner. They both have a precocious little daughter “Nadia” played by eight-year-old super-confident child artiste Kashvi Majmundar.

“Citadel: Honey Bunny” is the period-prequel’ set in the ‘90s era and the  Indian version of widely-watched American series on Amazon Prime Video Citadel ( by Russo Brothers) which had Hindi super-star Priyanka Chopra as the spy Nadia. Which also implies that child-artiste Kashvi plays the young childhood screen-avataar of Priyanka Chopra who had played Nadia Sinh a top-class Citadel spy-agent while Richard Madden played Mason Kane—Nadia’s partner and lover-boy.

Incidentally with Kashvi with her star-charisma and articulate candid humorous banter, proved to be the on-stage scene-stealer ‘darling’ of the invited media. Even Kashvi’s dignified mother Pinky Majmundar ( in the audience) was applauded While appreciating Varun and Samantha as her on-screen “good-looking parents”, Kashvi also shared that like her iconic–idol inspiration versatile Priyanka Chopra, she too was an actress-model-dancer and singer

The series “Citadel: Honey Bunny” features the immensely talented Varun Dhawan and Samantha supported by versatile Kay Kay Menon, along with an exciting ensemble cast that includes Simran, Saqib Saleem, Sikandar Kher, Soham Majumdar, Shivankit Parihar, child-artiste Kashvi Majmundar.

Citadel: Honey Bunny is set to premiere exclusively on Prime Video in India and across over 240 countries and territories worldwide on Thursday, November 7th 2024

Prime Video  India’s most-loved entertainment destination, has dropped the captivating action-packed trending-viral trailer for the eagerly anticipated Original series, Citadel: Honey Bunny. The Indian series born from the world of Citadel is directed by Raj & DK (Raj Nidimoru and Krishna DK) and written by Sita R. Menon, along with Raj & DK. The series is produced by D2R Films, Amazon MGM Studios, and executive-produced by the Russo Brothers’ AGBO. Anthony Russo, Joe Russo, Angela Russo-Otstot, and Scott Nemes from AGBO, alongside David Weil (Hunters), executive produce Citadel: Honey Bunny and all series within the world of Citadel. Midnight Radio is also an executive producer.

At the trailer launch, Varun also revealed that Samantha and he worked tirelessly to make a particular action scene impeccable. The duo shot the scene within 11 minutes in a single take without any cuts. Varun mentioned that the intense risky action sequence where he was also required to hang upside down ( "ulta-seedha latkaya thha' ) for a long time, will also be part of the climax of the Citadel: Honey Bunny series 

Known for his honest, candid nature. Varun also discussed his request to iconic filmmaker Aditya Chopra for a YRF banner action film. Varun expressed his ardent interest in being cast in an action movie; However, Adi-Chopra informed him that he preferred to offer him romantic dramatic acting lead roles rather than action roles at that moment. Despite this, Varun persisted in his request, prompting Chopra to explain that he couldn't allocate a high-investment budget for such a project as Varun was not yet at that level. Now if Aditya checks out the action-packed trailer of Citadel: Honey Bunny series, he may surely consider casting Varun for an action-centric role.  Coming back to Citadel: Honey Bunny, Varun Dhawan explained, “When this opportunity for Honey-Bunny came, I asked the makers what the budget was. They don't want me to say all this (smiles)! I am really grateful to them for giving me this vast global platform. That is needed to make things look big and for actors to look larger-than-life.”

While talking about Citadel: Honey Bunny, Varun Dhawan also mentioned his upcoming action entertainer movie Baby John, made by South producer Atlee ( of  SRK-starrer ‘Jawaan’ action-thriller movie fame) and South eminent director Kalees. When asked about his experience on Citadel: Honey Bunny, Varun Dhawan replied, “I had a great time. It was a wake-up call for me. I hope that a lot of people take notice of it. Right now, I feel that perhaps only the South Indian film-makers are aware of my action-potential and giving me great opportunities in action!”

The trailer is a preview of the exhilarating and riveting spy thriller set against the vibrant tapestry of the 90’s, which features explosive action, high-octane stunts, and edge-of-your-seat excitement, all perfectly complemented by exceptional performances and a grand visual scale. When stuntman Bunny (Varun Dhawan) recruits struggling actress Honey (Samantha) for a side gig, they are hurled into a high-stakes world of action, espionage, and betrayal. Years later, as their dangerous past catches up, the estranged Honey and Bunny must reunite and fight to protect their young daughter Nadia.

Dynamic visionary Nikhil Madhok, Head of Originals, Prime Video, India shared “Following the tremendous response to the teaser, the excitement and anticipation around the show has been rising every day, with fans of Varun, Samantha and Raj & DK eagerly waiting for November 7. We felt that now is the right time to provide them with a window into the series with an action-infused trailer of the show that captures the incredible world of Citadel: Honey Bunny. Raj & DK have added their signature quirk and charm to this high-octane spy thriller that promises to be a whole new thrilling ride for our audiences,” said Nikhil Madhok

Meanwhile directors Raj and DK said, "Citadel: Honey Bunny is a significant project for us as it has given us the opportunity to be part of a larger, unprecedented world of spies and espionage that has never been done or even attempted before. We have created all our projects so far, but Citadel: Honey Bunny is our first collaboration. And that it is with the creative forces like the Russo Brothers, as well as a host of talented filmmakers and creators around the world, that made this an amazingly valuable creative experience,”

Unassuming Varun Dhawan ( of ‘Bhediya’ and ‘Stree-2’  fame) seemed super-thrilled with his latest action-packed screen-avataar said, "Action-hero Bunny is unlike any role I’ve played before. As a spy, he not only leads a double life, but every aspect of his personality has two distinct sides, which was very exciting for me as an actor. Intricately woven into the storyline, his portrayal required me to draw on a blend of experiences and characters I’ve embodied over the years, as well as mentally and physically prepare for the grueling stunts and amped-up action scenes, making it one of my most challenging performances yet. And I am deeply grateful to Prime Video, Raj & DK, and AGBO for the opportunity to bring Bunny to life,” shared Varun

The beautiful slim Samantha said,, "The opportunity to be part of an action-packed entertainer with a gripping storyline, rich character depth, and intense hand-to-hand combats and stunts that rival international standards, along with the prospect to play an integral role in this collection of connected spy stories, is what drew me to this project. The challenges and efforts required to bring Honey to life have left a profound impact on me, both professionally and personally, making it one of the most significant roles of my career. I’m confident that the audience will thoroughly enjoy this series, not just in India in English as well as different regional languages but across multiple  foreign countries where it will stream on Prime Video."

The Indian series born from the world of Citadel is produced by D2R Films, Amazon MGM Studios, and the Russo Brothers’ AGBO Citadel: Honey Bunny premieres on November 7 exclusively on Prime Video in India and across more than 240 countries and territories worldwide