Madhureeta Mukherjee (BOMBAY TIMES; January 1, 2021)

They say, ‘Hindsight is always 20/20’. However, not many can say ‘2020’ without wincing. The scares and scars have been borne by many, but with the New Year on the horizon, there is reason to hope and believe that the worst is behind us. However, it takes the voice of sanity to remind us that, “we need to ponder over what the last year has told us because it has spoken to us rather loudly.” Ayushmann Khurrana has been the voice of a new kind of cinema in Bollywood for some years now, so when he reinforces that, “people will come back to the theatres and celebrate cinema again”, we believe him. Just like we believe in the Vickys, Balas and his other quirky, complex, rare characters on screen. In an interview with BT, the ace entertainer tells us how he’s starting the New Year riding on hope and positivity, while closely holding on to the learnings from the year gone by. Read on…

2020 is finally over! This is probably the most-awaited January 1 in history, for different reasons. What are your thoughts on Day One of 2021?
I think we are all a bit relieved that 2020 is over, but I would like everyone to reflect on the learnings that this year has taught us. It would be wise to ponder over what the last year has told us because it has spoken to us rather loudly. We all need to take a step back from all the excesses and from the desire to want more and more. We need to understand what our priorities are, what little things can give us joy and what makes us human. I hope that we have realised that we are all connected and what one person does, impacts everyone. So, we should always think of being empathetic towards one and all. I’m taking this learning with me into 2021.

Watching yourself on the big screen and your favourite artistes, too — is that among the things that you are waiting to do in 2021?
We are all entertainers and nothing would make us happier than seeing people enjoy cinema again. Theatres are a magical place that can transport us into another world, get us inspired, get us conversing about issues, make us feel happy and wow us with spectacles. I’m certain that our industry will deliver an amazing year of cinematic experiences in 2021. I will have three releases in 2021 — Junglee Pictures’ Doctor G, Chandigarh Kare Aashiqui, and one more project — and my intent with these releases is to bring people back to the theatres. I’m confident that things will slowly turn for the better in the New Year and I hope to entertain the people of my country thoroughly through my brand of cinema. I’m certain that post the pandemic, people would want to come out with their families and celebrate moments of their lives just how they used to before Coronavirus struck us. At that time, I would want to offer audiences some of the best content that they can hopefully cherish and engage with, and this is my intention for the next year.

Do you think that our experiences and learnings from the year gone by will change the way we make movies, view and perceive films and tell our stories?
I do feel that we will have to make exciting content and great cinema for people to come into the theatres. I don’t think anyone, anymore, would want to see anything mediocre. They just won’t have the patience for anything less than good or excellent. Yes, it will be challenging, but also creatively thrilling for storytellers and actors. I’m confident that people will come back to the theatres and they will come back in hoards to celebrate cinema that speaks to their hearts. It won’t be genre specific. It will just be about good cinema.

You were amongst the first to navigate the new normal and start shooting amid the pandemic. Did the artiste in you feel the urge to get out there, even with risks, to just get the ball rolling?
I have been fortunate enough to shoot through the pandemic. I made a decision to go to my parents’ home and flew to Chandigarh as soon as the lockdown ended. This decision enabled me to shoot for the last six months of the year and I couldn’t be happier. I needed to be on the sets. I needed to feed off that energy and just wanted to be in the middle of the action. I actually wanted to contribute towards restarting my industry and I’m glad that I managed to start and end shooting an entire film in the pandemic! I’m fortunate to have found a beautiful script like Chandigarh Kare Aashiqui, which propelled me to start shooting as soon as possible.

You have always shattered stereotypes and broken clutter. Recently, in an interview with us, Nawazuddin Siddiqui said that the Bollywood hero on screen needs to be shaken up a bit. In that sense, you have shaken him up, and now we need to continue stirring. Do we see you exploring more such everyman characters — not the typical hero, yet far from ordinary?
I have a personal ambition to do the best films that my industry is producing, and I strive very hard to discover them. It’s almost like a personal journey to reinvent myself on screen with every single film. It’s a desire to tell stories that are compelling, endearing, inspiring and thought-provoking. So, I’m open to doing any and every role and try my hand in any and every genre possible. But I will only do a film if I’m convinced that it is telling something new to the audience. It needs to be fresh because that’s all that people want to see now.

The fact that you leaped out of the mould early on in your career, do you think that helped you achieve the status you have today — a bankable, relatable, versatile hero who can attract audiences across multiplexes and single screens?
Jumping out of the mould was the most logical and practical decision for me. Being an outsider, I had only one chance, and I had to make it count. So, when Vicky Donor worked so well, it was kind of a relief for me. Also, it bolstered my belief that people want to see something new and exciting on screen and that I don’t need to go down the conventional path to survive and to make a name for myself. I have followed this learning ever since, and I’m really lucky that it has worked out well for me. I’m glad that audiences accepted me and gave me the love to constantly try new things to entertain them. I’m just thankful for their validation because they have actually created me. They have told me what films to choose, and they have told me what kind of content they would love to see from me. I have been a vehicle of their choice, and I couldn’t be prouder as an entertainer.