Ayushmann Khurrana

Castigations apart, it is an undeniable fact that Bollywood, in any form, is pretty entertaining. Somewhere along the decades of the new century, Bollywood changed its track a bit. From mushy romances and macho action thrillers, there was a gradual shift towards consciousness raising and being woke. And, one figure who stands out with regard to expression of new attitudes is of course Ayushman Khurrana. The Wikipedia entry on the actor aptly describes him as best known for “his portrayals of ordinary men often battling social norms.”

Take for instance Vicky Donor. The movie is a romcom but it deals with the issue of infertility and the possibility of surviving that. Vicky is an accidental sperm donor, who has indirectly helped numerous families. The movie tries to blunt the stigma around infertility and to show that sperm donation is nothing taboo. Shubh Mangal Savdhaan tries to have an open discussion of male sexual issues which get comparatively less attention. In Badhai Ho, a rather late pregnancy is normalised when it is accepted by the family. Dream Girl (1&2) is, in a way, about gender bending and all the ensuing consequences in the protagonist’s personal life.  Bala is about body shaming and how non-standard looks – be it obesity or baldness -- are often condemned, and their devastating consequences on self esteem. In Shubh Mangal Zyada Savdhaan there is a detailed discussion of homosexuality and the struggles to seek acceptance. The question of acknowledging the rights and status of a transgender finds expression in Chandigarh kare Aashiqui where conventional masculinity encounters the other. Doctor G presents the unique situation of a male gynaecologist in a predominantly female domain and his journey of fitting in. 

All his movies, without exception, are real entertainers which subtly project one new idea or other. What’s interesting is how the movies never become preachy but give out a ‘slice-of-life’ feeling. His natural acting, especially as the charming boy-next-door, further ensure that the entertainment quotient is intact. The overall effect is that of light-heartedness, yet the movies do convey a serious idea across, perhaps much better than ultra-serious award-type intellectual flicks.