Neha Maheshwri (BOMBAY TIMES; July 26, 2020)

Ayushmann Khurrana, Kartik Aaryan and Rajkummar Rao have their distinct identity and presence in the industry today. Nushrratt Bharuccha is among the few actresses, who has shared screen space with all the three actors. She has done four films with Kartik (Pyaar Ka Punchnama 1 and 2, Akaash Vani and Sonu Ke Titu Ki Sweety), one movie with Ayushmann (Dream Girl) and two projects with Rajkummar (Love Sex Aur Dhokha and yet-to-release Chhalaang). While Kartik has made a name for himself as the quintessential commercial hero, Ayushmann is the go-to guy for content-driven films with a generous dose of humour. On the other hand, Rajkummar has shown that he can juggle all genres, be it comedy, drama or horror. In a chat with us, Nushrratt spoke about her experience of working with the three talented actors and the equation she shares with them.

‘KARTIK AND I CONSTANTLY PUSH OURSELVES TO FIGURE OUT NEW THINGS TO DO ON THE SCREEN’
Kartik and I started out around the same time. We grew as people and actors together. From one film to another, slipping in and out of characters became easy because we understood each other’s processes very well. Once you are familiar with someone, you get into a routine and sometimes struggle to find new stuff to do. We were like, ‘Iske saare expressions dekh liye, maine saare reactions de diye, ab naya kya kar sakte hain?’. So, Kartik and I would have that, ‘Ab naya kya karein, bol na’ conversation, every day. But it’s a lot of fun to push ourselves to figure out new things to do with the same person on the screen.

‘I HAVE NEVER HAD THE KIND OF FUN I DID WITH AYUSHMANN ON THE SETS’
During Dream Girl, I was really taken aback by how much fun this man can have on the sets. I had a blast working with Ayushmann. He says that his humour is not great and people don’t laugh at his jokes, but I would be cracking up all the time. I have never had this kind of fun with anybody before, and it was a new experience for me. To watch him do what he does was amazing. In fact, even the director’s brief for us was, “Ayush and Nush, just have fun.”

‘I WOULD ALWAYS LOOK FORWARD TO LEARNING SOMETHING FROM RAJKUMMAR’
Though we weren’t paired opposite each other in Love Sex Aur Dhokha, Raj, Amit Sial and I got along really well during the shoot of the film. We would be chatting and gossiping all the time. And now, after almost a decade, I am working with him again in Chhalaang. Looking at how evolved his craft is and the range of films that he has done, I think to myself, ‘How has he done so much and how have I done so little? He has done such amazing work in these years. I would go to the sets of Chhalaang looking forward to learning something from him. I would bug him to help me get the Haryanvi accent right because he is such a pro at it. So yes, that’s how it’s been with Raj – a blast from the past and a learning experience in the present.

Director Abhishek Sharma says John Abraham-starrer Ray delayed, not dropped; discusses how pandemic affects the production
Uma Ramasubramanian (MID-DAY; July 24, 2020)

After their last collaborative effort, Parmanu, delivered appreciable results at the box-office, John Abraham and Abhishek Sharma are set to reunite for Ray, which the director describes as a "film set in a different space". "I had a great experience while working with John. Ray is a special film and is an attempt at exploring a new genre. It is a contemporary [movie] that is not set in Mumbai," Sharma tells mid-day of the film that is currently being scripted.

Like it has with several Bollywood ventures, the pandemic has played mischief with their plan to kick off the shoot in January 2021. Sharma reveals that the offering will now roll after Abraham wraps up his prior commitments that have been affected due to the lockdown. "He is yet to work on Mumbai Saga and Satyameva Jayate 2. Hence, we are taking baby steps. Also, now we face a fresh challenge. There are guidelines that must be followed. We are figuring out how we can make a film in a world with Coronavirus, without making the film too expensive. Making a film in the stipulated budget while following guidelines is a task."

His last film, the Dulquer Salmaan and Sonam K Ahuja offering based on the sport of cricket, was hit-wicket at the box office. Lamenting the fact that The Zoya Factor failed to perform well despite its fresh pairing, he says, "We didn't get the kind of response that Chhichhore and Dream Girl did at the box office. These films released around the same time. We also didn't procure enough screens, which played a big role [in contributing towards its lacklustre performance]."

Cinemas have been open in UAE for over a month and although the market is dominated by Hollywood releases there has been three Hindi films to get screenings. BAAGHI 3 which is a holdover from before the Coronavirus lockdown has the best numbers though they are minimal like all releases

GOOD NEWWZ and DREAM GIRL were re releases and mainly saw screenings in the weekend. There have been markets like France and South Korea which has seen a solid return of the audience according to the circumstances as they have had some new local releases. The UAE market has not seen any new content over the last six weeks so has seen very low footfalls with collections 90-95% lower than a normal week before the lockdown.

The weekly collections of BAAGHI 3, GOOD NEWWZ and DREAM GIRL in UAE post the lock down are as follows. The number of cinemas are in brackets.

Baaghi 3
$2137 (15)
$1385 (9)
$529 (7)
$783 (4)
$1333 (5)
$1150 (5)

Good Newwz
$664 (10)
$318 (4)
$657 (3)

Dream Girl
$430 (8)
$116 (4)

Cinema halls are gearing to reopen when restrictions ease, but they’re likely to use old hits to draw audiences
Rishabh Suri (HINDUSTAN TIMES; June 11, 2020)

With life crawling back to normal mid the Coronavirus crisis, and resumption of shoots, comes the big question: when will movie theatres reopen? And an even bigger question: which filmmakers will be ready to test the waters and see whether audiences trickle in?

UAE, with no new films in hand, has decided to re-release Good Newwz and Dream Girl, both 2019 films, in theatres. Back home too, experts believe the same strategy would be employed.

OLD MAY STRIKE GOLD
Manoj Desai, executive director of G7 Multiplex and Maratha Mandir cinema, Mumbai says, “A theatre lockdown happened in 1996. On reopening I decided to re-run the 1961 Shammi Kapoor film Junglee. It was housefull. Then I re-released Teesri Manzil, also housefull. Just after the Covid-19 lockdown started, I had thought I’ll again use this idea.”

Earlier, speculation was rife that Sooryavanshi and '83 would be the first to release to draw audiences. But '83 director Kabir Khan told us recently, “It’s not like the lockdown will lift and we will throw our films to test waters. We will wait till comfortable.”

Shibasish Sarkar, group CEO, Reliance Entertainment which is involved with both these films, says, “We are expecting theatres to reopen in mid to end of July. Also, it will be in some states. It’s not as if suddenly some ready films would be released, it will take time. Hollywood films will come first — Christopher Nolan’s Tenet, Mulan, then Wonder Woman 1984. I expect old films to be released again, but I don’t expect people to come to the hall for them. It would be a kind of practice for theatres to get everything ready.”

He confirms both their films won’t be among the first to release, but adds Reliance would give any of their titles such as Simmba (2018), Golmaal Again (2017), Super 30 (2019) for free to theatre owners. “We survive because theatres are there,” he adds.

THE OTT FACTOR
However, recent films such as Angrezi Medium or Baaghi 3 are already on OTT, why would people pay to watch them in theatres? Hardik Mehta, whose Roohi Afzana starring Janhvi Kapoor and Rajkummar Rao is stuck, says, “It’s an important step forward. Let’s run cinema halls for 24 hours, but only at 50% capacity. Also, Nolan will release Tenet in July, even those at home will say ‘I’ll have to go to a theatre’,” he says.

Akshay Kumar-Kareena Kapoor Khan's Good Newwz, Ayushmann Khurrana's Dream Girl to re-release in UAE on June 11, to increase theatre footfalls after lockdown
Mohar Basu (MID-DAY; June 8, 2020)

After the unprecedented global standstill, several countries — including the United Arab Emirates — have reopened. As part of its gradual lifting of the Coronavirus lockdown, the UAE threw open the doors of its theatres on May 27, luring cinegoers with re-releases of popular Hollywood and Bollywood movies. Encouraged by the positive response to the re-release of Baaghi 3, several filmmakers are considering a second round of big-screen outing for their offerings.

Come June 11, Akshay Kumar and Kareena Kapoor Khan starrer Good Newwz, which minted over Rs 100 crore at the domestic box office on its release last year, will hit the marquee again. The superstar hopes that the comedy will spread cheer amid the current crisis. "Dubai has always given so much love to my films. The re-release of Good Newwz is special, especially during such times. I hope it manages to entertain the audience once again," says Kumar.

Ayushmann Khurrana's 2019 comedy, Dream Girl, too is part of the line-up. Vibha Chopra, global syndication & international film distribution head, Zee Studios, says that they deliberately chose laugh riots. She explains, "The world has been going through a tough time. The re-release of Good Newwz and Dream Girl is an opportunity for the audiences to take a break from the chaotic scenario and experience the joy of watching films on the big screen, keeping health and safety at the forefront."

Solanki Diwakar, who’s acted in films such as Dream Girl and Sonchiriya, sells fruits on Delhi’s streets to support his income when he isn’t working on a film
Niharika Lal (BOMBAY TIMES; May 29, 2020)

Solanki Diwakar, an actor who has worked in films like Dream Girl, Halka, and Sonchiriya, has been supporting his family with his ‘side-business’ of selling fruits from Okhla to Malviya Nagar in Delhi. The 38-year-old actor, who hails from Agra, lives in Sriniwaspuri in Delhi, and when he is not auditioning for (or acting in) films, he’s back on the streets with his fruit cart.

But it’s not like filmmakers haven’t tried to help him. Solanki says, “When directors came to know I’m selling fruits during the Coronavirus pandemic, they got in touch with me to help, but I have been selling fruits as a part-time job for almost 10 years, and now when shoots have completely stopped, this is what’s keeping me afloat. My directors Nila Madhab Panda, who gave me a role in Kadvi Hawa and Halka, and Raaj Shaandilyaa, who directed me in Dream Girl, got in touch with me, but I’m doing well. Everyone’s in distress during the pandemic, not just me.”

Cine associations are supporting actors and crew members in Mumbai, didn’t he get in touch with them for support? He says, “While I am supporting myself by selling fruits, several artistes and crew members want to do only film industry-related work, hence they need more help to sustain themselves right now. All shoots have stopped. Maybe, in a couple of months, we’ll start shooting again.”

Solanki adds, “I have done small roles in over 30 films. I went to Mumbai in 2005, but I didn’t get the opportunities I wanted, so I came back to Delhi.” He says that since the income from films is not sufficient, he can’t stop selling fruits.

But with interested customers, Solanki loves to share his experiences from the film world. He says, “Yes, people often ask me, ‘Aisa lagta hai aapko kahin dekha hai.’ I smile and tell them that they must have seen me in movies.”

Dream Girl writer-director Raaj Shaandilyaa on prepping for his next based on the lockdown
Uma Ramasubramanian (MID-DAY; May 24, 2020)

"My series is set in humour," says writer-director Raaj Shaandilyaa, whose previous film Dream Girl, starring Ayushmann Khurrana, tackled issues of gender fluidity albeit with a scoop of comedy. Initially, Shaandilyaa was set to develop another rib-tickler for 2020, but the writer has now shifted gears. He is now scripting a series set around the Coronavirus lockdown. He says, "Tentatively titled Lockdown series, it is a blend of humour, action and romance."

Shaandilyaa explains that the story narrates a powerful message with a hint of humour. "Comedy comes out of emotions. My show is not a comedy, it has a humourous premise and there is a difference between the two. When people look back at this time, they will come to terms with how they survived the pandemic."

Still at a nascent stage, Shaandilyaa will start casting for the project post the lockdown. "My characters are based on what I am reading and listening. The series will capture the stories of daily-wage workers, migrants, cops and alcoholics."

There final classifications of 2019 were as follows as the year delivered 19 HIT films and nine of them of being major HITS. There were further six successful films and then two Below Average films. The year was dominated by Akshay Kumar with three of the top six hits belonging to him.

There was an ALL TIME BLOCKBUSTER film in 2019 also but that came from Hollywood with AVENGERS: ENDGAME. However, despite doing 363 crore nett business, the footfalls of KABIR SINGH were still more than AVENGERS: ENDGAME. KABIR SINGH and WAR were the only films to go over 2 crore footfalls and no film even came close to 3 crore.

The final classifications of films released in 2019 with distributor shares in brackets are as follows.

All Time Blockbuster 
-

Super Blockbuster
1. Kabir Singh (135 crore)

Blockbuster
2. War (151 crore)
3. Uri: The Surgical Strike (101 crore)

Super Hit
4. Housefull 4 (104 crore)
5. Good Newwz (96 crore)
6. Mission Mangal (94 crore)
7. Chhichhore (66.50 crore)
8. Dream Girl (65 crore)
9. Bala (50.50 crore)

Hit
10. Saaho (Hindi) (77 crore)
11. Total Dhamaal (75 crore)
12. Kesari (74 crore)
13. Super 30 (70 crore)
14. Gully Boy (66 crore)
15. Batla House (41.75 crore)
16. Luka Chuppi (41.50 crore)
17. Badla (39.50 crore)
18. Pati Patni Aur Woh (37 crore)
19. Article 15 (28.50 crore)

Semi Hit
20. Bharat (102 crore)
21. De De Pyaar De (44 crore)
22. Mardaani 2 (21.75 crore)

Average
23. Manikarnka - The Queen Of Jhansi (43 crore)
24. The Accidental Prime Minister (11.25 crore)
25. The Tashkent Files (5.50 crore)

Below Average
26. Student Of The Year 2 (32 crore)
27. Marjaavaan (22 crore)

The year 2019 turned out to be pretty decent with the top twenty five films collecting 3600 crore nett plus as compared to 3000 crore nett last year. But a lot is to do with lower GST in 2019 as the GROSS numbers are 4250 crore compared to 3850 crore in 2018. There is a 20% difference in NETT numbers which would be a good result if all things were equal but in actual terms the difference is 10% as in GROSS numbers, all is equal. The 10% growth is roughly how much ticket rates grew in 2019.

The biggest grosser of the year was WAR (Hindi) grossing 292 crore nett but the biggest HIT was KABIR SINGH. It was the universal blockbuster of the year which did equally well in all parts of India. It also had the highest footfalls of the year as it was released outside holiday periods on normal ticket rates. WAR and URI were also BLOCKBUSTERS but could have done better in the Central India markets where there performance was lower as compared to other areas. The other film to top 200 crore nett HOUSEFULL 4 could have done better in North.

No film got close to 3 crore footfalls which tells there was no really huge BLOCKBUSTER. In fact the last 3 crore footfall film was TIGER ZINDA HAI in 2017 though PADMAAVAT may have got there if it had released all over. Only two Hindi films - KABIR SINGH and WAR - managed to get more than 2 crore footfalls and the third film was AVENGERS: ENDGAME from Hollywood. SAAHO also manged it in all formats and if we take all formats into consideration then this film had the most footfalls of any film in India last year at 2.60 crore.

The ranking of the top films in terms of NETT collections are as follows and these twenty stand above the rest as the 26th film is under 50 crore nett. The GROSS collections may change the positions a little as there is state levy and higher service charges in some states and if films have a higher ratio coming from these areas then it changes the NETT to GROSS ratio.

1. War (Hindi) - 2,92,71,50,000
2 Kabir Singh - 2,76,34,00,000
3. Uri: The Surgical Strike - 2,44,00,50,000
4. Housefull 4 - 2,05,60,50,000
5 Bharat - 1,97,34,50,000
6. Good Newwz - 1,95,78,00,000 (35 days)
7. Mission Mangal - 1,92,67,00,000
8. Kesari - 1,51,87,50,000
9. Total Dhamaal - 1,50,07,50,000
10. Saaho (Hindi) - 1,48,84,00,000
11. Chhichhore - 1,47,32,50,000
12. Super 30 - 1,47,00,00,000
13. Dream Girl - 1,39,37,00,000
14. Dabangg 3 (Hindi) - 1,34,79,00,000
15. Gully Boy - 1,34,21,50,000
16, Bala -1,10,97,50,000
17. De De Pyaar De - 94,50,00,000
18. Manikarnika - The Queen Of Jhansi (Hindi) - 90,81,00,000
19. Luka Chuppi - 88,50,50,000
20. Badla - 87,56,00,000
21. Batla House - 84,99,50,000
22. Pati Patni Aur Woh - 80,41,00,000
23. Kalank - 80,03,50,000
24. Student Of The Year 2 - 65,70,50,000
25. Article 15 - 65,17,50,000

NOTE - Good Newwz is still running in week six but will not change the rankings as it has only 25-50 lakh more to come

HOUSEFULL 4 has had an extraordinary debut on television as it recorded over 2 crore impressions and became only the fifth film in history to do so. The film is only behind BAAHUBALI 2: THE CONCLUSION, PREM RATAN DHAN PAYO and BAJRANGI BHAIJAAN. It is best ever premiere for an Akshay Kumar film beating 2.0 (Hindi) which had around 1.65 crore impressions compared to 2.15 crore here.

The film was always likely to get a huge television number but a number like this is higher than expectations. The film could go and have a huge satellite run from here and easily become the most watched film of the year unless WAR can score similar numbers. The only film out of the ten below which could not get a repeat television numbers was DHADAK while the rest had runs ranging from phenomenal to decent and HOUSEFULL 4 will want the former. HOUSEFULL 4 did big numbers at the box office but they were held back by a pre Diwali release and a lot of negativity spread about the film but there was no stopping the film post Diwali and now it continues to to get a huge audience on television.

DREAM GIRL also had a television debut in the same week but proved to be a flop with just 48 lakh impressions. The film had a limited audience and probably got most of that with its theatrical release and then digital after.

The top films on television of all time are as follows. The numbers are impressions which are the number of television sets viewing the film
1. Baahubali 2: The Conclusion - 2,60,54,00,000 (Sony)
2. Prem Ratan Dhan Payo - 2,51,19,00,000 (Star)
3. Bajrangi Bhaijaan - 2,37,45,000 (Star)
4. Housefull 4 - 2,15,42,000 (Star)
5. Baahubali: The Beginning - 2,07,77,000 (Sony)
6. Dhadak - 1,83,16,000 (Zee)
7. Golmaal Again - 1,63,52,000 (Star)
8. Total Dhamaal - 1,67,93,000 (Star)
9. 2.0 (Hindi) - 1,65,13,000 (Zee)
10. Dangal - 1,62,40,000 (Zee)

Jitesh Pillai (MUMBAI MIRROR; December 29, 2019)

It will be difficult to identify a theme that has dominated Hindi cinema in 2019. From biopics that revisited historical events and celebrated chest-thumping national pride to fictional accounts of underdogs who rose above their circumstances, this year’s blockbusters have broken many moulds. They have also brought to the fore actors who couldn’t be more unlike the typical Bollywood hero — beefy, bombastic and superheroesque in their abilities. Here are two actors who took the sensitive, everyman approach to their roles, and still came out on top:

Ayushman Khurrana
His onscreen avatars have endured sexual dysfunction, celebrated human foibles and shattered gender conventions. And this year, with back-to-back hits such as Article 15, Bala and Dream Girl, Khurrana is, without a doubt, Bollywood’s man du jour. So what exactly makes him tick?

Khurrana has proven — with unfailing regularity — his ability to slip into, and completely immerse himself in, characters based in both metros and mofussil towns. His honest and impactful portrayals have given the Hindi film hero of 2019 a vulnerable, self-deprecating, even endearing edge. He may not be a pioneer in channeling a male lead riddled with flaws or grappling with sticky situations, but he is certainly the most convincing. And this is perhaps what makes him more relatable and accessible to a larger audience. The fact that his real life story is also the stuff of dreams — Khurrana was plucked from a reality show that he later went on to host, and then moved onto Bollywood — makes him the person every front-bencher aspires to become.

Ranveer Singh
His recent films have shown that Singh can morph as seamlessly into a diverse set of characters, as he can, in real life, evolve from being the boy next door to an audacious clotheshorse. From Khilji in Padmaavat to Murad in Gully Boy, Singh internalises his roles to an extent that one can barely distinguish him from the part he’s playing. We first got a glimpse of his thaharaav in Lootera, a beautifully-underplayed performance that slipped through the cracks. Then, as Murad, a freestyle rapper from a Mumbai slum, Singh imbues his role with the same heartbreaking quality that also wins hearts.

Singh’s recent, elaborately-experimental red carpet turns have evoked both shock and surprise — besides generating unending clickbait-worthy material. He can sometimes appear as a stylist’s worst nightmare. You may roll your eyes or shrug in bewilderment at his bizarre off-screen looks, but you just can’t ignore Ranveer Singh. He’s made sure of that. It’s this devil-may-care attitude that has made Singh an irreverent yet definitive youth icon. And going by his immaculate portrayal of former Indian skipper Kapil Dev in his next '83, we’re sure Singh’s going to knock it out of the park in 2020 as well.

Ayushmann Khurrana, who continued his box-office juggernaut this year too, says out-of-the-box films — also called ‘the Ayushmann genre’ by many now – will always be his staple 
Prashant Singh (HINDUSTAN TIMES; December 28, 2019)

It won’t be wrong at all to say that he has been on a dream run since 2017. When Bala became actor Ayushmann Khurrana’s seventh consecutive hit, it was clear that he has gone beyond box office numbers and endeared himself to the audience enough to create a genre of his own. As the juggernaut continued in 2019 with Article 15, Dream Girl and Bala, talk of a new ‘Ayushmann genre’ became commonplace. “This year, I had a very wholesome experience [as an actor]. For me, the biggest takeaway is the audience’s love, which is only getting bigger,” says the actor, who has Shubh Mangal Zyada Saavdhan and Gulabo Sitabo lined up next year. Excerpts:

Since 2017, your dream run seems to be getting better...
The year 2017 was good, 2018 was better and 2019 has been the best so far. And I am really glad as it means I’ve created a certain kind of trust in the audience’s mind, which helps me with better openings for my films, and at the same time they expect something unique out of me. I feel this year saw three films of distinct textures – Bala was middle-of-the-road kind of cinema, Dream Girl had more of a single-screen appeal, Article 15 was a bit ‘multiplex-y’, though we wanted it to reach as many people as possible.

What was the top highlight for you this year?
It started with Article 15, which is the most difficult film – and my most fearless move – of my life, till now. While we were expecting critical acclaim, I’m very glad with its commercial success. I was also surprised with Dream Girl’s acceptance among the multiplex audience since that was the first time I tried to be slapstick and a bit front-footed with my performance. Both were two ends of a spectrum, and that’s why difficult too.

Do you feel more confident now as an actor?
Yes, I do. The best part is I’ve a buffet of choices now. So, I can pick movies and genres. Earlier, I took a lot of risks with first-time directors-producers, which paid off. Now, I’m getting to work with ‘big producers and directors’. I remember after Dum Laga Ke Haisha (2014), I didn’t do anything for a year and waited for the right scripts/directors. Now I’m getting lot of great scripts, and the idea is to get the best of the lot. So, good doesn’t excite me anymore — it has to be great.

How do you view the ‘out-of-the-box’ tag, now also called ‘the Ayushmann genre’ by many?
I am very happy with it. It is overwhelming and flattering. This is my zone and my staple. While people look out for those films, I enjoy doing them. I feel it’s pertinent to attempt the ‘taboo, socially-relevant’ subjects. At the same time, I’ll also make an effort that my ‘other kind of films’ do equally well too. And I’m sure they will also make ₹100 crore and more, maybe next year itself. So, let’s see.

A few days back, you mentioned in an interview that 2019 was an ‘eye opening year’ for you...
It’s been an eye-opener in the sense that I’ve realised people will accept good stories, regardless of the genre. When I said yes to Article 15, I was thinking about the commercial aspect of it, but the kind of acceptance the film got from the audience was unparalleled. Even vis-à-vis Dream Girl, since I have a loyal multiplex audience, I was thinking, ‘I don’t know whether they will accept me doing a commercial song-and-dance laden slapstick comedy’. But they did. So, I guess it’s an eye-opener for me that you just have to give people something unique, entertaining and, at the same time, engaging.

Did you realise that Bala was your seventh hit in a row? Were you keeping track?
Now, you are telling me about it, or else, my PR team updates me about such things but I never thought about it. I am very bad with numbers. Main khud puchta hoon, sometimes, ‘arrey, 6 hai yaa 7 hai (laughs)’. Aise top of mind nahi pata chalta. See, the idea is to just give unique content, which is also value-creating. I feel it can’t just be entertainment; there has to be something deeper which people should think about after getting out of the theatres. For me, it shows that thanks to the content I do, people have built a certain trust around me, and now, the numbers are also showing. Also, it’s not a meteoric, sudden rise. It started in 2017, and I am glad that I am taking baby steps towards success.

In terms of workload, do you, sometimes, feel like you are stretching yourself a bit too much?
That’s why I have taken a four-month break. Also, at this point, I can afford to take this break from films since two of my films are ready for release in 2020. Also, I think, ideally, I should have breaks in between. At the end of the day, we are artistes, and not machines. So, you need to recalibrate, re-energise yourself. So, the idea is to recharge your batteries, live more life, meet people, read books, and work on your different passions so that you are always excited about your core passion — which is, of course acting. That’s what I am doing right now. For four months, I will just travel, meet new people, spend time with family, jam with my band and write poetry. I think that’s very important.

In 2020, you have two upcoming releases. Will there be a third one?
There could be a third film later on in the year. But we are still contemplating [which one it can be]. Ideally, there should be a third film as well next year, maybe towards the end of the year. There is no plan [to have a certain number of films] till the time I’m getting great scripts. I’m okay with three films in a year as well, but not more than that maybe. At the same time, if I am not getting great scripts, I’m fine with doing nothing. In such a case, I won’t do anything and just do my musical events with my band. So, there is no desperation in that sense.

This year, you and your wife Tahira Kashyap also fought through her illness [breast cancer]...
Tahira isn’t just my life partner but a life coach as well. The way she dealt with the illness – with a happy mindset – is commendable. I feel it’s just a mind game. If you take that challenge head on and are excited about living, you can combat any challenge, that’s what she has taught me. I’ve learnt a lot from her and she is an inspiration. She introduced me to Buddhism, which I started to follow right before Bareilly Ki Barfi (2017), and things began to change. So, I think I owe it to Tahira as well as Buddhism.

Due to a busy, packed schedule, the musician in you isn’t getting much time and attention. Right?
Unfortunately, my live musical performances have taken a back-seat because, of late, I have been busy with my films. I sang two beautiful, love ballads in Article 15 and Dream Girl. But I didn’t get a chance to perform them in concerts as I’ve not gigged in a while now. But that will happen soon, maybe in January, I will go out with my band. In these four months, [during the break], I will be gigging for sure. As for my singles, last year, there was Chan Kitthan. I am singing in my films, but whenever I get time, I will come out with a new single, maybe, if there is a gap between my two films.

Though keen to attempt grey roles, Ayushmann Khurrana asserts he won't compromise on movie's message
Mohar Basu (MID-DAY; December 18, 2019)

Ayushmann Khurrana has had a golden run at the box office this year with three consecutive hits in Article 15, Dream Girl and Bala. What makes the success sweeter is that with each of these films, he has only strengthened his brand of disruptive cinema. As he gears up to enter the new year with the same-sex love story, Shubh Mangal Zyada Saavdhan, the actor says he is itching to play a grey character. "I will be happy to pick a gory film or play a negative character. I would love to play a morally corrupt person. That will be out of my realm. But the message, at the end of the day, should be positive. I don't want to endorse wrong-doings on screen," asserts Khurrana.

Reflecting on the splendid year behind him, he agrees that Dream Girl was probably his "safest" film, but one that was a necessary step for his future gambles. "I needed that over-the-top performance to show my range as an actor. It was slapstick, and not the situational comedies that I usually [gravitate to]. The film helped me reach out to the single-screen audiences. Now, I need that audience to come to theatres for Shubh Mangal Zyada Saavdhan. We have seen parallel films on the subject, but you need a mainstream film to normalise homosexuality."

Hiren Kotwani (MUMBAI MIRROR; November 16, 2019)

Earlier this year (April 20), Mirror had informed that Hrishikesh Mukherjee’s cult comedy, Chupke Chupke, was being remade by Bhushan Kumar and Luv Ranjan with Rajkummar Rao reprising the role of Professor Parimal Tripathi aka Pyaare, essayed by Dharmendra in the original. We have now learnt that that after the producers decided to remake the 1975 original, they realised that they didn’t have the title as Manish Goswami had registered it for his production house long ago.

“However, when Bhushan’s company approached him, he immediately issued a ‘No Objection’ letter to the Film and Television Producers Guild of India as he didn’t have a suitable script ready,” informs a source, saying Manish has earlier given the title to Ekta Kapoor for her Ayushmann Khurrana and Nushrat Bharucha starrrer, Dream Girl. “We’re industry colleagues, so, we should help one another in times of need,” said Manish.

The business from multiplexes today forms majority of the business for Hindi films and there have been 3 films which have topped the 200 crore nett at multiplexes in 2019 and they are KABIR SINGH, WAR and URI.

The collections are from around almost 1100 cinemas which are multiplexes and twin screens so can be classified as multiplexes. KABIR SINGH, is not the top grosser of the year but its business at multiplexes is higher than WAR which is the top grosser of 2019. There are certain films that are called multiplex films but this is not because they have the best collections at multiplexes but more so because they hardly have any collections at single screens. The examples of these are URI, CHHICHHORE, SUPER 30, DREAM GIRL and GULLY BOY. These films also struggle post release on television as the wider audience is not there for these films.

The top ten NETT grossers at multiplexes across India in 2019 are as follows.
1. Kabir Singh - 2,21,52,00,000
2. War - 2,17,25,00,000 (28 days)
3. Uri - The Surgical Strike - 2,16,06,00,000
4. Mission Mangal - 1,59,52,00,000
5. Housefull 4 - 1,48,94,00,000 (17 days)
6. Bharat - 1,44,05,00,000
7. Chhichhore - 1,34,21,00,000
8. Super 30 - 1,26,83,00,000
9. Dream Girl - 1,25,53,00,000
10. Gully Boy - 1,22,70,00,000