Ayushmann à la carte
As Ayushmann Khurrana completes 10 years in Bollywood, we look at the space he has occupied that’s wholly his own
Over the past decade, Ayushmann Khurrana, 37, has defined his career—and secured a loyal fanbase—by seeking out carefully observed roles, playing quirky characters with strong redemption arcs who undertake unconventional journeys.
Starting with his very first movie that dealt with sperm donation (Vicky Donor, 2011) he went on to continuously pick roles that addressed previously-taboo issues like erectile dysfunction (Shubh Mangal Saavdhan, 2017), premature balding (Bala, 2019) or the more hard-hitting topic of casteism (Article 15, 2019), and he’s been ruling that sub-genre within the industry ever since. His die-hard fans pack theatres to see every movie he makes, which means there’s now a certain expectation the audience has. And with expectation comes pressure. “It’s a happy pressure,” Ayushmann acknowledges. “People expect something of me, so I try my best to give the best content possible.”
Social security
The actor credits his background in street theatre for igniting his passion for message-driven films camouflaged with a heavy dose of entertainment. “I firmly believe that my films are just an extension of my theatre personality. As an artist, you should have a certain social responsibility, and I’d like to take that forward,” he says, adding, “Films are meant to entertain you. And the social message cannot really overpower the entertainment quotient. The message should be the underlying change or statement. I try to achieve that in every film.”
About time
Ayushmann’s achievements speak for themselves. After Vicky Donor, he won two Filmfare awards in one night—for best debut actor and best playback singer. “I don’t think that’s happened before,” he accepts, calling it his “first pivotal moment”.
Nine years later, in 2020, the actor was named among the 100 most influential people in the world by Time magazine, the only Indian actor to make it to the list.
He’s humble enough to admit—and appreciate—that his journey to the top isn’t something you see every day. “Coming from a small city and making it big, it’s a miracle. For a person like me, who’s unconventional, who’s made unconventional choices, I think it’s an absolute miracle,” he echoes.
Plan Z
It’s no secret that audiences can be unforgiving. For an actor who has to repeatedly prove himself, Ayushmann has no Plan B.
What he does have are well thought-out Plans B, C and Z; having faced failure before, he’s now someone who likes to be prepared. “When my films weren’t working, I formed a band,” he says. “I started singing at college fests, at weddings, at family functions... I have a lot of plans.”
He readily agrees with the suggestion that he is a truly practical person.“If there’s no financial security, for an artist I think it’s difficult to be creative,” he states. “I’m not from that school of thought that says only if you’ve suffered darkness can you create something. I think that’s a very, very screwed-up way of looking at life.”
What could possibly challenge him now? “Now the challenge is how to do things differently, maybe discover more genres for myself,” he says, His upcoming releases, Anek, a socio-political thriller set in Northeast India, and Action Hero, do happen to be genres he hasn’t explored before, but he’s yet to play an anti-hero in any of his films, something he’s open to. True to form, he adds the caveat: ”It’s just that the messaging should be correct. I’ll never do a role that makes a hero out of a villain.”
The next decade
”I’m too practical to plan for the next 10 years,” he says, when asked what the next decade has in store for him. “But I will say that I’ll be more than just an actor. I’ll produce, maybe write a script or direct.”
He does know which directors he’d like to work with next: “I would love to work with Raju Hirani! And Rohit Shetty and Zoya Akhtar,” he exclaims, leaving one in little doubt that he’ll make all of this happen.
In another 10 years, I’ll be more than just an actor. I’ll probably produce in the future, maybe write a script or direct.
AYUSHMANN KHURRANA, Actor