'Stardom is relative, script is the star': Ayushmann Khurrana on theatrical success

Actor Ayushmann Khurrana believes stardom is no longer an “exclusive club” and that a film's script and authenticity matter more than the star at its centre when it comes to drawing audiences to theatres.

Speaking at the session 'Cinema at Crossroads - The Rules of the Big Screen' on the opening day of FICCI Frames, Khurrana said the rise of influencers and YouTubers has changed the meaning of stardom, with audiences now spread across multiple entertainment platforms.

“We are dwelling in multiple universes, where there are multiple worlds of entertainment and there are multiple stars of each world, be it influencers, or YouTubers, etc. There are certain stars who are big and you probably don't know about them and there are certain people who know about them,” he said.

“So, stardom is relative and script is the star. It is not one size fits all... It used to be exclusive club earlier but not anymore,” he added.

Khurrana said he has always believed that the story should be bigger than the actor and cited his upcoming spy comedy “Udta Teer” as an example of his return to what he described as his core — authenticity.

“I always believe that story is the superstar right from my first film. Though in the last 20 odd films that I've done, I've dabbled into every kind of genre, from a project to run-of-the-mill kind of film.

“But I'm going back to my core, which is authenticity. If we give authentic subject to people that's a good draw. I believe in my next film, 'Udta Teer' it is like a reverse uno stuff but I'm excited about it as I'm going back to my core. It is my genre,” the actor said.

The session also featured filmmaker Sriram Raghavan and Denzil Dias, VP and Managing Director, India Theatrical at Warner Bros Discovery.

Raghavan, who directed Khurrana in the 2018 crime thriller “Andhadhun”, said a film's ability to connect with audiences was more important to its theatrical performance than scale.

“I don't think it (box-office success) has to do only with scale, but it had to do with connection,” he said.

Raghavan recalled being surprised by the response to “Andhadhun” in China several months after its Indian release.

“Our film did great in China six months after its release. We don't know how did that happen because it was already out, and suddenly people took to it. So, some movies have something unique, and that's what you're trying to give in (to people),” he said.

The filmmaker also recalled the difficulty he faced in finding a male lead for “Andhadhun”, which also starred Tabu and Radhika Apte.

“I remember when he (Ayushmann) first heard the narration of 'Andhadhun', which five-six actors had refused to do it or politely said no. So, he said, 'It is not actor proof, it is star proof' and that this needs an actor,” Raghavan said.

Known for thrillers including “Johnny Gaddaar”, “Ek Hasina Thi” and “Merry Christmas”, Raghavan was also asked about a possible sequel to “Andhadhun”.

Khurrana himself asked when he would return to the world of “Andhadhun 2”, prompting Raghavan to say he would make a sequel only if he found the right story.

“Whenever we've the right story that does not screw up the first film,” he said.

Khurrana also pointed to the theatrical performance of small-budget films such as “Hanuman Ansh” and “Obsession” as evidence of the scope for films that do not rely on scale alone.

“'Hanuman Ansh' and 'Obsession' belong to two different worlds and are small-budget films, I think we need to make movies like that. We need to be budget-friendly, connect more with people. It sounds simple but it isn't,” he said.

Dias, meanwhile, said the theatrical business needed to give audiences a compelling reason to leave their homes and watch films on the big screen.

He said the industry needed to focus on appropriate pricing, adequate showcasing and giving films enough time to find an audience instead of concentrating only on their opening weekend.

“What matters is how we get the audience back by making sure we price it right, have adequate showcasing, nurturing it right, making sure they get longer space and it is not fighting for opening weekend. All the films that are successful are not about opening weekend, but about opening number of weeks,” Dias said.