'Unfortunately, our country is homophobic': Ayushmann Khurrana on Chandigarh Kare Aashiqui's underwhelming box office performance

Ayushmann Khurrana's unconventional choices have always been lauded by the people. In the pre-pandemic era, the actor was a hit-making machine, scoring back-to-back hits and delivering terrific performances. However, his films have done mediocre business at the box office since 2021, and the actor has explained why. During a group media interaction, Ayushmann reflected on his last three films, namely Chandigarh Kare Aashiqui, Anek, and Doctor G, and how they fared overall.

The actor stated, "I started with movies on taboo subjects. I suppose the type of subjects—it has to be a community viewing, and it has to have a wider film—the kids have also been watching. In fact, my last three films, including an LGBTQ film (Chandigarh Kare Aashiqui), really don't do well commercially because, unfortunately, our country is homophobic. Then there was Anek, a docudrama that was a very niche in terms of the tone of the film. Doctor G was an A-rated film, and given the kind of certification it got, the film did decently well in theatres. For a while, that was my learning for making a film."

When asked if it shook him when his films didn't do well, Ayushmann replied, "I think I'm unshakeable. If I stop taking risks, I will be conventional. I have always been unconventional, and I make those choices. I will be taking them in the future as well, regardless of success or failure. I just keep pushing the boundaries, and that's the beauty of the budgeting of the films, too. My films are mostly low- to mid-budget, so no one loses money and I can afford to take risks."

The Vicky Donor star also shared that the choices of the audience have always been unpredictable, but now they have become more challenging. Ayushmann said, "It was always unpredictable. But now the challenge is to make great films, knowing good is not enough and good is not old enough. The real challenge is to excite the audience enough to come out of their homes and watch a film. It has to be worth the time and money. They just can't be coming for anything."

Meanwhile, Ayushmann's upcoming film, An Action Hero, is releasing in theatres on December 2, 2022.