For Ayushmann Khurrana, box office matters, but progressive films matter more. The success of his latest, Dream Girl 2 has not only come as a huge validation but has also left him with a learning: It is time to go big. Ayushmann has been the poster boy of mid-sized, critically acclaimed projects since his 2012 debut Vicky Donor. Over the years, the actor comfortably established himself as an actor leading progressive films, which also would do pretty well at the box office. Until the pandemic happened. In two years, Ayushmann saw four consecutive films flopping starting from the 2021 romantic drama Chandigarh Kare Aashiqui, Anubhav Sinha's Anek, Doctor G and An Action Hero. Dream Girl 2 ended the dry spell as it recorded his career's biggest opening of Rs 10.69 cr and went on to clock more than Rs 100 cr at the box office. "Post pandemic this is my biggest hit, it is a great sense of validation coming from people," Ayushmann tells Indianexpress.com. The actor says his "motive" with Dream Girl 2 was to reach out to a wider section of the audience and notes that among his contemporaries, he was the only one required to "shift gears" in terms of tonality of films. View this post on Instagram A post shared by Ayushmann Khurrana (@ayushmannk) "My films were always middle of the road, always critically loved but also loved by the audience. But I had to make it massier. I was the only one who was required to shift gears out of all my contemporaries. With this (film), I had to do it. There was no other option, so that I can do my kind of cinema again. "The numbers make you a bankable star, gives you the power to select scripts which are of your palate. Do your kind of cinema, but that too in a wider way. It is tricky. But I am glad that cinema is changing again, people are coming back to theatres, the small and mid-budget films are working. Hopefully this era continues," he explains. Getting back to 'progressive films' Though most of Ayushmann's post-pandemic releases were well received, it was only the box office that eluded him as there were "cheerleaders" even in his low phase. But now, armed with success, Ayushmann says he can comfortably slip back into doing "progressive films", something which the actor confesses Dream Girl 2 isn't. "I could feel a sense of joy. There were cheerleaders even when my films weren't doing well, and that meant a lot to me. It kept me going, that at least they are loving my films, may be on a different platform. But that was a season of theatricals not doing well. I wasn't the only one. But this time we made the film more massy, more commercial. Even though it is not a progressive film, far from it, but the love from people who loved and supported me, that kept me going." The learning for Ayushmann is to continue doing progressive films-movies that "suit my core"-but mount them on a scale that ensures a wholesome, family viewing experience. "I only have to make them wide. I can't be cutting off family audience, I need to reach a wider section of the audience. There is no rocket science. I would still go for unique scripts, but may probably do away with taboo. That may cut the (family) audience. But I will try to make the films as wide as possible, in my space." When asked if the Sourav Ganguly biopic, which he is rumoured to headline, will be the perfect follow up post Dream Girl 2, the actor laughed and said, "It is not officially announced, but let's see!"
