National Award Winner, Ayushman Khurrana is known for his life journey and his performance in the movies. To recall the actor's best works in Bollywood, we have created a list on Top 7 Ayushmann Khurrana's movies to watch on Netflix, Prime and other OTT on his birthday.

From Vicky Donor to Dream Girl: Top 7 Ayushmann Khurrana's film to watch on Netflix, Amazon Prime and other streaming platforms

<p>From addressing gender roles and patriarchy to body positivity- Karan Johar's <em>Rocky Aur Rani Kii Prem Kahaani</em> is being lauded for its fresh take on family drama. "It's an upgrade on family dramas," quips writer Ishita Moitra. She has written the dialogues and co-written the screenplay along with Shashank Khaitan and Sudeep Roy for <em>Rocky Aur Rani. </em>For those who have been loving Ranveer's hilarious English in the film, Ishita Moitra is the person they should be lauding.</p>

<p>During a chat with WION, Moitra spoke at length about the film that is currently making waves for its entertainment and relevant messaging. The writer credits the film's director Karan Johar for having a very clear vision of how he wanted each of his characters to be. While writing the character of Rocky Randhawa, Ishita recalls she was told that he is the male version of Poo from Johar’s iconic <em>Kabhie Khushi Kabhie Gham</em> or Geet from <em>Jab We Met.</em></p>

<p>“We've seen women do these characters very well. They are iconic characters. Karan wanted that, wanted to turn it on its head. And we knew that Ranveer was going to do this. There’s nobody else who could have pulled it off with this much elan as he did.”</p>

<p>Ranveer Singh’s performance as Rocky Randhawa has been lauded by one and all. The actor plays the role of a loud Delhi boy from a rich business family who falls in love with a feisty, feminist Bengali girl, Rani Chatterjee played by Alia Bhatt.</p>

<h2>‘Ranveer is a chameleon’</h2>

<p>Moitra was all praise for the lead cast. When pointed out that Singh caught the Delhi lingo quite accurately, Moitra pointed out that it's not new for the actor to adapt to his characters. “He is a chameleon really. Whether he had to use a Marathi accent in <em>Bajirao Mastani</em> or the Gujju accent in <em>Jayeshbahi Jordaar</em>, he can do anything,” said Moitra.</p>

<p><strong>Also read:&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/entertainment/bollywood/news-rocky-aur-rani-kii-prem-kahaani-review-ranveer-singh-alia-bhatt-shine-in-a-predictable-fun-family-film-620135">Rocky Aur Rani Kii Prem Kahaani review: Ranveer Singh, Alia Bhatt shine in a predictable, fun family film</a></strong></p>

<p>As a viewer, Moitra admits she found more joy in watching Ranveer emote in between the lines. “If you remember the scene where Alia points out that whatever they had was consensual, the expression Ranveer has on his face before he says ‘Can you repeat?’ Or the laundry scene with Churni Ganguly, who plays Alia’s mother, and he goes ‘<em>Aunty aap Rani ki Mummy hai’</em>- all these expressions, the faces he made were hilarious. I think it's just fabulous what he's managed to do in the film,” said Moitra. "And Alia is Alia Bhatt. She can pull off almost anything,” added the writer.</p>

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<h2>‘The Kathak scene was Karan’s idea’</h2>

<p>"So the idea of Rani's father being a Kathak dancer was Karan’s. And the two dance sequences also, he knew what he wanted," revealed Moitra. She pointed out how Rani’s father Chandan and Rocky were similar just that they were from different ends of the spectrum.</p>

<p>“They both love to dance. They both have fathers who judge them. And yet they are from two different ends of the spectrum, even in terms of masculinity,” said Moitra.</p>

<p>“The two dance performances were pretty much like, I mean, even at the story level, it was something that we wanted to do. We thought a few times about what song it should be, etc. And then <em>Dola re Dola</em> was just perfect, especially because it was a Durga Puja setting. It all germinated from Karan's heart because this is the family drama that he knew what he wanted to put forth.”</p>

<h2>Favourite scene from <em>Rocky Aur Rani Kii Prem Kahaani</em></h2>

<p>Being from an Army background, Ishita Moitra said she had lived in Amritsar and Delhi and was familiar with Punjabi and her mother tongue is Bengali. So bringing the essence of Delhi lingo was not so difficult for her. She admits that Ranveer’s meltdown scene where he talks of the cancel culture and apologises to Tota Roy Choudhury’s character was the toughest to write and added was her favourite scene in the film because of the way it was implemented.</p>

<p>“The cancel culture scene is an absolute favourite because it took me a while to write it.” Since the scene involved Ranveer first apologising and then talking about his personal issues and then cancel culture, Ishita says the conversation had to be free-flowing. “The conversation had to move organically from one topic to the other. At the same time, it had to be emotional. At the same time, it has to be funny. You have to use words like, what a bad, what a worst, what a shame. But it can't make people laugh. It should still make people emotional. Cracking that was hard. And eventually, once that was written out, I think Karan was also pretty happy with it. And then I think Rocky crushed it. He took it to another level with his performance.”</p>

<p><iframe allow="accelerometer; autoplay; clipboard-write; encrypted-media; gyroscope; picture-in-picture; web-share" allowfullscreen="" frameborder="0" height="315" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/6mdxy3zohEk" title="YouTube video player" width="560"></iframe></p>

<p>Moitra was also all praise&nbsp;for the supporting cast. She revealed how Tota Roy Chowdhury took only 35 classes to ace that Kathak performance, Shabana Azmi sang a Tagore song with absolute perfection and how Churni Ganguly brought the essence of a snob English professor correctly. ‘Shabana Ma’am is a masterclass in acting,” said Moitra admiringly.</p>

<p>Moitra was also all praise&nbsp;for Karan Johar and Dharma Production. Calling Johar a living legend, Moitra said that the creative freedom and respect that writers get working for Dharma is unmatched. “Working with Karan has been incredible. He is so democratic, such an intelligent man and open to feedback.“ Moitra came on board&nbsp;<em>Rocky Aur Rani </em>because of her Delhi background and because she is a Bengali. “I first wrote a script for a film that Anand Tiwari is directing and stars Vicky Kaushal and Tripti Dimri and Amy Wirk. <em>Rocky Aur Rani</em> is my second project with Dharma.”</p>

<h2>On being compared to <em>Vicky Donor</em></h2>

<p>Ishita Moitra said while <em>Vicky Donor </em>and <em>Rocky Aur Rani Kii Prem Kahaani </em>had a similar backdrop, the films are not similar. “Rocky Aur Rani is not so much about diverse cultures as much as it is about rising above the differences and believing in the goodness of people,” she pointed out.</p>

<p>A certain section on social media also felt that the film’s wedding sequence and proposal sequences were lifted from a popular Indian TV show called <em>Yeh Rishta Kya Kehlata Hai. </em>Was Moitra aware of it? “I think it’s a happy coincidence. I don’t think Karan would have watched the show. I am aware of the show- I know it’s a successful show but had no idea about the sequences."</p>

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<p dir="ltr" lang="en">The parallel🔥<br />
Shadi so grand that it actually looked like bollywood shadi,<br />
1 yr later cn't believe we'll hv a parallel of <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/AbhiRa?src=hash&amp;ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#AbhiRa</a> Great Grand Wedding 🫶🏻💕🥺<br />
Indeed abhira wedding is d greatest itv wedding ever🫶🏻❤️‍🔥<a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/HarshadChopda?src=hash&amp;ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#HarshadChopda</a> <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/PranaliRathod?src=hash&amp;ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#PranaliRathod</a> <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/RockyAurRaniKiiPremKahaani?src=hash&amp;ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#RockyAurRaniKiiPremKahaani</a> <a href="https://t.co/LSDuLrtn09">pic.twitter.com/LSDuLrtn09</a></p>
— abhirayrkkh🇮🇳( AbhiRa 'THE IDIOTS') (@genextharshali) <a href="https://twitter.com/genextharshali/status/1676220637139054592?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">July 4, 2023</a></blockquote>
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<p>Moitra who worked on TV (<em>Bade Achhe Lagte Hai</em>) and OTT (<em>Four More Shots! Please</em>) says the magic of seeing one’s name appear on the big screen in a dark theatre is unmatched. Moitra has written dialogues for films like <em>Shakuntala Devi. </em>“The thrill of the big screen is unmatched. Nothing can beat the excitement you get at seeing your name appear on the big screen,” says the writer.</p>

<div class="videoWrapper trancodeVideo"><iframe allowfullscreen="" autoplay="1" class="includeVideo" frameborder="0" height="350" src="https://www.wionews.com/videos/ranveer-singh-is-the-star-of-rocky-aur-rani-kii-prem-kahaani-critically-speaking-620356/embed" style="width:100%;max-width:560px;" width="560"></iframe></div>

<h2>On writer's strike in Hollywood</h2>

<p>When Moitra was asked to comment on the current writers' strike in Hollywood and if she saw something similar happening in India in the near future, she said that first, the writers association in India was trying to get basic contracts in place. Moitra revealed that in many cases there is no contract for the writers and hence no standard pay structure exist. The association is trying to get that corrected. Minimum wages that every writer should be paid needs to be set first, argued the writer and added, “Sometimes writers don’t even get credits properly. So we need to get the basics right. What Hollywood is protesting and the way actors are picketing is incredible but we first need to get basics rights.”</p>

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From addressing gender roles and patriarchy to body positivity- Karan Johar's Rocky Aur Rani Kii Prem Kahaani is being lauded for its fresh take on family drama.

From addressing gender roles and patriarchy to body positivity- Karan Johar's Rocky Aur Rani Kii Prem Kahaani is being lauded for its fresh take on family drama. "It's an upgrade on family dramas," quips writer Ishita Moitra. She has written the dialogues and co-written the screenplay along with Shashank Khaitan and Sudeep Roy for Rocky Aur Rani. For those who have been loving Ranveer's hilarious English in the film, Ishita Moitra is the person they should be lauding. During a chat with WION, Moitra spoke at length about the film that is currently making waves for its entertainment and relevant messaging. The writer credits the film's director Karan Johar for having a very clear vision of how he wanted each of his characters to be. While writing the character of Rocky Randhawa, Ishita recalls she was told that he is the male version of Poo from Johar’s iconic Kabhie Khushi Kabhie Gham or Geet from Jab We Met. “We've seen women do these characters very well. They are iconic characters. Karan wanted that, wanted to turn it on its head. And we knew that Ranveer was going to do this. There’s nobody else who could have pulled it off with this much elan as he did.” Ranveer Singh’s performance as Rocky Randhawa has been lauded by one and all. The actor plays the role of a loud Delhi boy from a rich business family who falls in love with a feisty, feminist Bengali girl, Rani Chatterjee played by Alia Bhatt. ‘Ranveer is a chameleon’ Moitra was all praise for the lead cast. When pointed out that Singh caught the Delhi lingo quite accurately, Moitra pointed out that it's not new for the actor to adapt to his characters. “He is a chameleon really. Whether he had to use a Marathi accent in Bajirao Mastani or the Gujju accent in Jayeshbahi Jordaar, he can do anything,” said Moitra. Also read: Rocky Aur Rani Kii Prem Kahaani review: Ranveer Singh, Alia Bhatt shine in a predictable, fun family film As a viewer, Moitra admits she found more joy in watching Ranveer emote in between the lines. “If you remember the scene where Alia points out that whatever they had was consensual, the expression Ranveer has on his face before he says ‘Can you repeat?’ Or the laundry scene with Churni Ganguly, who plays Alia’s mother, and he goes ‘Aunty aap Rani ki Mummy hai’- all these expressions, the faces he made were hilarious. I think it's just fabulous what he's managed to do in the film,” said Moitra. "And Alia is Alia Bhatt. She can pull off almost anything,” added the writer. View this post on Instagram A post shared by misschamko (@_ishita_moitra_) × ‘The Kathak scene was Karan’s idea’ "So the idea of Rani's father being a Kathak dancer was Karan’s. And the two dance sequences also, he knew what he wanted," revealed Moitra. She pointed out how Rani’s father Chandan and Rocky were similar just that they were from different ends of the spectrum. “They both love to dance. They both have fathers who judge them. And yet they are from two different ends of the spectrum, even in terms of masculinity,” said Moitra. “The two dance performances were pretty much like, I mean, even at the story level, it was something that we wanted to do. We thought a few times about what song it should be, etc. And then Dola re Dola was just perfect, especially because it was a Durga Puja setting. It all germinated from Karan's heart because this is the family drama that he knew what he wanted to put forth.” Favourite scene from Rocky Aur Rani Kii Prem Kahaani Being from an Army background, Ishita Moitra said she had lived in Amritsar and Delhi and was familiar with Punjabi and her mother tongue is Bengali. So bringing the essence of Delhi lingo was not so difficult for her. She admits that Ranveer’s meltdown scene where he talks of the cancel culture and apologises to Tota Roy Choudhury’s character was the toughest to write and added was her favourite scene in the film because of the way it was implemented. “The cancel culture scene is an absolute favourite because it took me a while to write it.” Since the scene involved Ranveer first apologising and then talking about his personal issues and then cancel culture, Ishita says the conversation had to be free-flowing. “The conversation had to move organically from one topic to the other. At the same time, it had to be emotional. At the same time, it has to be funny. You have to use words like, what a bad, what a worst, what a shame. But it can't make people laugh. It should still make people emotional. Cracking that was hard. And eventually, once that was written out, I think Karan was also pretty happy with it. And then I think Rocky crushed it. He took it to another level with his performance.” Moitra was also all praise for the supporting cast. She revealed how Tota Roy Chowdhury took only 35 classes to ace that Kathak performance, Shabana Azmi sang a Tagore song with absolute perfection and how Churni Ganguly brought the essence of a snob English professor correctly. ‘Shabana Ma’am is a masterclass in acting,” said Moitra admiringly. Moitra was also all praise for Karan Johar and Dharma Production. Calling Johar a living legend, Moitra said that the creative freedom and respect that writers get working for Dharma is unmatched. “Working with Karan has been incredible. He is so democratic, such an intelligent man and open to feedback.“ Moitra came on board Rocky Aur Rani because of her Delhi background and because she is a Bengali. “I first wrote a script for a film that Anand Tiwari is directing and stars Vicky Kaushal and Tripti Dimri and Amy Wirk. Rocky Aur Rani is my second project with Dharma.” On being compared to Vicky Donor Ishita Moitra said while Vicky Donor and Rocky Aur Rani Kii Prem Kahaani had a similar backdrop, the films are not similar. “Rocky Aur Rani is not so much about diverse cultures as much as it is about rising above the differences and believing in the goodness of people,” she pointed out. A certain section on social media also felt that the film’s wedding sequence and proposal sequences were lifted from a popular Indian TV show called Yeh Rishta Kya Kehlata Hai. Was Moitra aware of it? “I think it’s a happy coincidence. I don’t think Karan would have watched the show. I am aware of the show- I know it’s a successful show but had no idea about the sequences." The parallel🔥 Shadi so grand that it actually looked like bollywood shadi, 1 yr later cn't believe we'll hv a parallel of #AbhiRa Great Grand Wedding 🫶🏻💕🥺 Indeed abhira wedding is d greatest itv wedding ever🫶🏻❤️‍🔥#HarshadChopda #PranaliRathod #RockyAurRaniKiiPremKahaani pic.twitter.com/LSDuLrtn09 — abhirayrkkh🇮🇳( AbhiRa 'THE IDIOTS') (@genextharshali) July 4, 2023 × Moitra who worked on TV (Bade Achhe Lagte Hai) and OTT (Four More Shots! Please) says the magic of seeing one’s name appear on the big screen in a dark theatre is unmatched. Moitra has written dialogues for films like Shakuntala Devi. “The thrill of the big screen is unmatched. Nothing can beat the excitement you get at seeing your name appear on the big screen,” says the writer. On writer's strike in Hollywood When Moitra was asked to comment on the current writers' strike in Hollywood and if she saw something similar happening in India in the near future, she said that first, the writers association in India was trying to get basic contracts in place. Moitra revealed that in many cases there is no contract for the writers and hence no standard pay structure exist. The association is trying to get that corrected. Minimum wages that every writer should be paid needs to be set first, argued the writer and added, “Sometimes writers don’t even get credits properly. So we need to get the basics right. What Hollywood is protesting and the way actors are picketing is incredible but we first need to get basics rights.” WATCH WION LIVE HERE You can now write for wionews.com and be a part of the community. Share your stories and opinions with us here.

Exclusive: Kathak sequence was Karan's idea: Ishita Moitra on writing Rocky Aur Rani Kii Prem Kahaani

'Vicky Donor' to 'Article 15': Ayushmann Khurrana's films with a social message

<p>&ldquo;We live in strange and troubled times, bro. Can you imagine &ndash; even a few years ago &ndash; titles, themes, subjects and contents focussing on material associated with sperm donation, toilet introduction to the hinterland, erectile dysfunction and now the latest sanitary pads usage? wassupp buddy?&quot;</p>

<p>&nbsp;</p>

<p>&nbsp;Why this leap in a platform forever dedicated to glamour-spiced, feel good, escapist entertainment? From where did this jump into such totally un-conventional, off-beat, un-glam &amp; non-fragrance narratives, box-office-unfriendly-content come?&nbsp;</p>

<p>&nbsp;</p>

<p>Have our star-struck audiences suddenly gone sanctimonious and issue-conscious, looking beyond jhatka stuff into meaningful story-telling that attempts to celebrate genuine causes and concerns that plague the howling mobs?</p>

<p>&nbsp;</p>

<p>Provocative as his observation was, it got me thinking and my mind raced back a few years ago, when my young director friend Shoojit Sircar spelled out to me, the nightmare times he experienced when he was attempting to put together Vicky Donor. &ldquo;Wherever I went amusement, bewilderment, shock &amp; disgust greeted me! Was I really serious about the subject &amp; content? A film not on blood but SPERM donation? More than a producer, I needed a shrink, many hinted!&quot;</p>

<p>&nbsp;</p>

<p>&quot;VD actually got moving only when star John Abraham came on board as a producer. Once it released and was declared a sleeper hit by the trade and audiences loved it, struggling and aspiring directors confided to me that production houses while breezily dismissing their concepts, often told them - Boss, kuch Vicky Donor ka jaisa bana! Amazing!&rdquo;&nbsp;</p>

<p>&nbsp;</p>

<p>Toilet &ndash; hardly the sexiest title or content &ndash; surprisingly slapped its [eek!] critics to zoom past the magical Rs.100 crore mark. More recently, Shubh Mangal Savdhan, also fared decently despite its [ooooooh maa, nudge-wink-ahem] theme. While the leading man Ayushman called it a &ldquo;Family Film&rdquo;, unveiling a subject that is quite common but never openly discussed, heroine Bhoomi was more upfront and in-your-face.&nbsp;</p>

<p>&nbsp;</p>

<p>Bhoomi&#39;s categorical response was, &ldquo;Manliness &ndash; commonly &amp; mistakenly believed &ndash; is NOT about getting it up but standing up tall and proud and fearless, to be a caring &amp; sensitive husband/partner. To address her areas of joys and insecurities, needs and wants beyond physicalities in a manner that is meaningful. The USP of our film was the treatment, a Hrishida &ndash; Basu Chatterjee style, blending light-hearted &amp; relatable humour with humanism, avoiding the temptation to be corny, vulgar and provide populist slapstick and trivialise a very delicate issue.&rdquo;</p>

<p>&nbsp;</p>

<p>Great. Point taken. However fearlessly making an issue-based film is one part of the story. The more important part, of course, is viewer acceptance, right? As the legendary Hollywood film-maker Billy Widder once, reportedly, stated.&rdquo; Talent is great but audience is greater!&rdquo;&nbsp;</p>

<p>&nbsp;</p>

<p>The proven appreciation by mass audiences relating to all these films must say something about altering viewership taste too. The answer has to be a resounding YES. Fact is, message-driven films reflecting societal ills are not new to commercial Hindi cinema. Way back, across the fifties and sixties, giants like Raj Kapoor [Awara, Boot Polish, Jagte Raho] B.R. Choopra [Ek hi Rasta, Dhool Ka Phool, Sadhana, Naya Daur] Amiya Chakravorty [Daag, Seema, Patita] Bimal Roy [Do Bigha Zameen, Sujata] did unspool powerful narratives that were both critically and commercially viable as well as appreciated.&nbsp;</p>

<p>&nbsp;</p>

<p>After their exit, however, this genre vanished for one simple reason. Popular cinema largely reflects the mood and flavour of the times. Once the first flush of nationalism, patriotism [post-partition] and the need to assert one&#39;s identity through serious and meaningful content was done, the need to entertain through feel-good fun and glamour and larger-than-life templates came into play. Also, the influence of Western music &ndash; Elvis Beatles, Rock n&rsquo; roll etc. &ndash; blitzed in, changing the profile and trajectory of movie content.&nbsp;</p>

<p>&nbsp;</p>

<p>Shammi Kapoor&rsquo;s YAHOO also played no mean part in introducing the Rom-com, a hugely popular and infectious category adored by the new-age audience of that time. The erstwhile issue-dominated films of yore, suddenly, found itself totally sidetracked. The few that did attempt to woo the distracted audiences &ndash; glamour-driven and star-struck &ndash; lacked the vision and the ability to engage that the Masters demonstrated with such confidence, sensitivity grace and class.&nbsp;</p>

<p>&nbsp;</p>

<p>Today, despite the ridicule and contempt from some quarters, labelling the new film as exercises in sycophancy to appease the new ruling party bosses, the fact is, they have passed the litmus test: audience approval and appreciation. Viewers [of the ticket-paying variety] don&rsquo;t give a damn about political colouring. They want &#39;paisa vasool&#39; entertainment. If along the way, there is a message interestingly factored-in, not preachy, didactic or soporific, then that&rsquo;s solid value-addition for sure. The bottom-line is simple.&nbsp;</p>

<p>&nbsp;</p>

<p>God knows there are tons of critical issues crying for attention &amp; action: dowry, adult literacy, women and child abuse, law and order, self-employment, disparity of the socio-economic kind between the Have &amp; Have-nots. Who better than our smart and gifted Bollywood directors, blessed with a superb reading of the public pulse, to decode, sugar-coat these issues and offer them to the public in an enjoyable, easy-to-digest fashion that entertains while provoking them to ponder over issues showcased.</p>

<p>&nbsp;</p>

<p>In the meantime, PadMan has started a larger conversation about the critical importance of menstrual hygiene. Akshay&#39;s star-power is attracting Bollywood heavyweights to endorse the cause and the film. Bravo to all associated with these issue-based efforts and a special big shabash to the audiences. Why? Because at the end of the day, its neither the director, trade or critics who decide the fate of the film; it&rsquo;s the audiences, the hydra-headed, unpredictable monster that can send you to the heaven or hell. Remember the timeless, masala song , &quot;Yeh Public hai, yeh sub jante hai Yeh public hai!&quot;</p>

<p>&nbsp;</p>

<p><em>(Disclaimer: The opinions expressed above are the personal views of the author and do not reflect the views of ZMCL)</em>&nbsp;&nbsp;</p>


Viewers don’t give a damn about political colouring. They want 'paisa vasool' entertainment. If along the way, there is a message interestingly factored-in, not preachy, didactic or soporific, then that’s solid value-addition for sure.

“We live in strange and troubled times, bro. Can you imagine – even a few years ago – titles, themes, subjects and contents focussing on material associated with sperm donation, toilet introduction to the hinterland, erectile dysfunction and now the latest sanitary pads usage? wassupp buddy?" Why this leap in a platform forever dedicated to glamour-spiced, feel good, escapist entertainment? From where did this jump into such totally un-conventional, off-beat, un-glam & non-fragrance narratives, box-office-unfriendly-content come? Have our star-struck audiences suddenly gone sanctimonious and issue-conscious, looking beyond jhatka stuff into meaningful story-telling that attempts to celebrate genuine causes and concerns that plague the howling mobs? Provocative as his observation was, it got me thinking and my mind raced back a few years ago, when my young director friend Shoojit Sircar spelled out to me, the nightmare times he experienced when he was attempting to put together Vicky Donor. “Wherever I went amusement, bewilderment, shock & disgust greeted me! Was I really serious about the subject & content? A film not on blood but SPERM donation? More than a producer, I needed a shrink, many hinted!" "VD actually got moving only when star John Abraham came on board as a producer. Once it released and was declared a sleeper hit by the trade and audiences loved it, struggling and aspiring directors confided to me that production houses while breezily dismissing their concepts, often told them - Boss, kuch Vicky Donor ka jaisa bana! Amazing!” Toilet – hardly the sexiest title or content – surprisingly slapped its [eek!] critics to zoom past the magical Rs.100 crore mark. More recently, Shubh Mangal Savdhan, also fared decently despite its [ooooooh maa, nudge-wink-ahem] theme. While the leading man Ayushman called it a “Family Film”, unveiling a subject that is quite common but never openly discussed, heroine Bhoomi was more upfront and in-your-face. Bhoomi's categorical response was, “Manliness – commonly & mistakenly believed – is NOT about getting it up but standing up tall and proud and fearless, to be a caring & sensitive husband/partner. To address her areas of joys and insecurities, needs and wants beyond physicalities in a manner that is meaningful. The USP of our film was the treatment, a Hrishida – Basu Chatterjee style, blending light-hearted & relatable humour with humanism, avoiding the temptation to be corny, vulgar and provide populist slapstick and trivialise a very delicate issue.” Great. Point taken. However fearlessly making an issue-based film is one part of the story. The more important part, of course, is viewer acceptance, right? As the legendary Hollywood film-maker Billy Widder once, reportedly, stated.” Talent is great but audience is greater!” The proven appreciation by mass audiences relating to all these films must say something about altering viewership taste too. The answer has to be a resounding YES. Fact is, message-driven films reflecting societal ills are not new to commercial Hindi cinema. Way back, across the fifties and sixties, giants like Raj Kapoor [Awara, Boot Polish, Jagte Raho] B.R. Choopra [Ek hi Rasta, Dhool Ka Phool, Sadhana, Naya Daur] Amiya Chakravorty [Daag, Seema, Patita] Bimal Roy [Do Bigha Zameen, Sujata] did unspool powerful narratives that were both critically and commercially viable as well as appreciated. After their exit, however, this genre vanished for one simple reason. Popular cinema largely reflects the mood and flavour of the times. Once the first flush of nationalism, patriotism [post-partition] and the need to assert one's identity through serious and meaningful content was done, the need to entertain through feel-good fun and glamour and larger-than-life templates came into play. Also, the influence of Western music – Elvis Beatles, Rock n’ roll etc. – blitzed in, changing the profile and trajectory of movie content. Shammi Kapoor’s YAHOO also played no mean part in introducing the Rom-com, a hugely popular and infectious category adored by the new-age audience of that time. The erstwhile issue-dominated films of yore, suddenly, found itself totally sidetracked. The few that did attempt to woo the distracted audiences – glamour-driven and star-struck – lacked the vision and the ability to engage that the Masters demonstrated with such confidence, sensitivity grace and class. Today, despite the ridicule and contempt from some quarters, labelling the new film as exercises in sycophancy to appease the new ruling party bosses, the fact is, they have passed the litmus test: audience approval and appreciation. Viewers [of the ticket-paying variety] don’t give a damn about political colouring. They want 'paisa vasool' entertainment. If along the way, there is a message interestingly factored-in, not preachy, didactic or soporific, then that’s solid value-addition for sure. The bottom-line is simple. God knows there are tons of critical issues crying for attention & action: dowry, adult literacy, women and child abuse, law and order, self-employment, disparity of the socio-economic kind between the Have & Have-nots. Who better than our smart and gifted Bollywood directors, blessed with a superb reading of the public pulse, to decode, sugar-coat these issues and offer them to the public in an enjoyable, easy-to-digest fashion that entertains while provoking them to ponder over issues showcased. In the meantime, PadMan has started a larger conversation about the critical importance of menstrual hygiene. Akshay's star-power is attracting Bollywood heavyweights to endorse the cause and the film. Bravo to all associated with these issue-based efforts and a special big shabash to the audiences. Why? Because at the end of the day, its neither the director, trade or critics who decide the fate of the film; it’s the audiences, the hydra-headed, unpredictable monster that can send you to the heaven or hell. Remember the timeless, masala song , "Yeh Public hai, yeh sub jante hai Yeh public hai!" (Disclaimer: The opinions expressed above are the personal views of the author and do not reflect the views of ZMCL)

Opinion: Padman, Vicky Donor, Toilet indicate Indian audiences are finally getting progressive

vicky-donor

Vicky Donor, News on Vicky Donor, stories on Vicky Donor, articles on Vicky Donor, Vicky Donor stories at Wion, Vicky Donor news, Vicky Donor latest news

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From Vicky Donor to Dream Girl: Top 7 Ayushmann Khurrana's film to watch on Netflix, Amazon Prime and other streaming platforms

Exclusive: Kathak sequence was Karan's idea: Ishita Moitra on writing Rocky Aur Rani Kii Prem Kahaani

'Vicky Donor' to 'Article 15': Ayushmann Khurrana's films with a social message

Opinion: Padman, Vicky Donor, Toilet indicate Indian audiences are finally getting progressive