Why Ayushmann Khurrana’s Dream Girl 2 is his most insincere film

My disappointment stemmed from my preconceived notion – that an Ayushmann Khurrana film could be many things, but never boring. The actor, however, surprised me by starring in this snooze-fest.

Whether it was the balding Bala or Mudit Sharma grappling with erectile dysfunction in Shubh Mangal Saavdhan, Ayushmann had carved out a unique niche for himself by humorously showcasing the insecurities of men in an industry that worships testosterone-fueled narratives. Going by his past record, it seemed only fitting for him to transform into an alluring woman and challenge the Kabir Singhs of the world while showcasing his dance moves. Toxic masculinity be damned.

Ayushmann Khurrana in a still from his 2019 film Bala.

But this narrative was only limited to the film’s trailer and promotional videos. I was expecting cringe from Dream Girl 2, but not an oversexualized portrayal of a particular gender, their mannerisms exaggerated solely for the sake of extracting a few laughs, which by the way never arrived. Dream Girl 2 felt insincere and botched, with a formulaic script overshadowing the art of storytelling. This film leaned heavily on Ayushmann’s past successes but failed to deliver the substance and laughs that his audience expects the most from his work.

Ayushmann Khurrana played the role of Pooja in Dream Girl 2.

My gripe with Dream Girl 2 isn’t that it lacks a substantial theme. Rather, my issue is that it pretends to have one. Instances of religious harmony, homosexuality, and senior romance are casually mentioned for the sake of conforming to the Ayushmann Khurrana genre’s established norms. For instance, in one scene, Paresh Rawal’s character chastises Manjot Singh for dating his Muslim daughter Sakina, only to abruptly change his stance, claiming that he isn’t the kind to oppose to inter-faith marriage. Similarly, an unredeemable Sunny Leone joke left a bad taste. The writers quite literally shove “wokeness” and political correctness in the audience’s faces. Also, it was perplexing to watch Karam (Ayushmann), who has been deceiving everyone by posing as a woman, to suddenly adopt a moral high ground and deliver a heartfelt speech on love and relationships.

We could have forgiven the film’s tone-deafness if it had been even slightly entertaining. However, it felt as if the writers, Raaj Shaandilyaa and Naresh Kathooria, had written different scenes independently, each brimming with unfunny punchlines, and only managed to tie them together at the last moment. Witnessing legendary actors, and frequent collaborators with Ayushmann, like Seema Pahwa, Annu Kapoor, Vijay Raaz, Asrani, Paresh Rawal and Rajpal Yadav wasted on a disjointed script was nothing short of painful.

Ayushmann has never conformed to stereotypes, and neither have his films. But since the actor’s past good work – Chandigarh Kare Ishq, Doctor G, Action Hero – largely went unnoticed by the audience, he resorted to the conventional way and adopted a formulaic approach towards the unconventional genre he pioneered.

While Dream Girl 2 may be one of the most commercially successful films of Ayushmann’s career, it certainly falls short of being his best. You can watch it on Netflix.