India is homophobic: Ayushmann on how Chandigarh Kare Aashiqui fared at BO

Actor Ayushmann Khurrana is known for tackling taboo subjects in his films. He has reacted to the poor box-office performance of his film Chandigarh Kare Aashiqui (2021), which has a transgender character as one of the leads. “My last three films, including an LGBTQIA+ film, didn’t do commercially well because unfortunately, our country is homophobic,” he said. In the movie, he falls in love with Maanvi Brar (played by actor Vaani Kapoor), who is a trans woman.

Since his first film, Vicky Donor (2012), which had infertility and sperm donation at its centre, the actor has been known for making unconventional choices. Calling himself “unshakeable”, Khurrana said that the performance of his films doesn’t mean he will stop pushing boundaries. He adds, “If I stop taking risks, I will be conventional... I will be taking them (risks) in the future as well, regardless of success or failure. I just keep pushing the boundaries.”