10 years of Ayushmann Khurrana: A look at his most memorable roles

Talented, Versatile and Unique - Ayushmann Khurrana perfectly defines all the three terms in the truest of sense. The actor completes a decade today in the Hindu film industry and right from his debut film Vicky Donor (which released on April 20, 2012), he has been the poster boy of path-breaking cinema. His films appeal to viewers across lines and people find him relatable. Through grit, hardwork and some risky choices, the actor has carved a niche for himself among the milieu of other actors.

Through his films, Ayush has always brought out the lives of common people and their issues on screen- telling their unique and inspiring stories and showing how deep down under we are all humans dealing with similar problems. This has resonated the most with people and, in turn, cemented with the actor’s image as a force to reckon with.

While Ayushmann says that he will continue to be cater new and disruptive cinema which will redefine the cinematic vision of films, here’s a look at some of the diverse and memorable characters he played down the years and the strong social message that those characters conveyed:

Vicky Donor (2012):

In his debut film, Ayushmann played a sperm donor whose life turns upside down after his wife (played by Yami Gautam) discovers the nature of his job. The film very beautifully addressed the taboo topics of infertility and sperm donation, besides promoting a positive attitude towards adoption of kids.

Bewakoofiyaan (2014):

In this Yash Raj production, Ayush played Mohit Chhadha, a Delhi-based marketing executive who loses his job and how it affects his relationship with Mayera (played by Sonam Kapoor), his girlfriend. In this slice of life film set during a recession. Ayushmann Khurrana and Sonam Kapoor's characters (like thousands of couples) are "passionately in love" and believe that their love can help them survive anything- even unemployment and recession!

Dum Laga Ke Haisha (2015):

This film tells the story of an underachieving man who is married against his will to an overweight woman (played by Bhumi Pednekar). There was a solid attempt to smash the stereotypical norms of beauty and ideal weight/waist size. Ayushmann’s character, though confronted by these hypothetical prejudices, breaks out of it all and embraces his better half in the end.

Meri Pyaari Bindu (2016):

Here, Ayushmann played Abhimanyu Roy, a pulp fiction writer, who is old-school when it comes to matters of the heart. His childhood love Bindu (played by Parineeti Chopra) breaks his heart several times but he never stops loving her back. The film beautifully portrayed the complexities of unrequited love and pitches in the idea that it always isn’t ‘Happily Ever After.’

Shubh Mangal Savdhaan (2017):

This revolved around Mudit Sharma (played by Khurrana), who is about to get married, on how he deals with his erectile dysfunction with his fiancé (Bhumi Pednekar) and family. In the climax, there’s a confrontation between Mudit and others where he gives them a piece of his mind on the so-called concept of ‘mardangi’ and what it actually means to be one.

Article 15 (2019):

This hard-hitting crime drama featured Ayushmann Khurrana as a police detective who investigates the disappearance of three girls from a small village, uncovering a history of caste-based oppression along the way. Inspired by multiple real-life cases (including the 2014 Badaun gang rape allegations and 2016 Una flogging incident) Article 15 addressed the bitter reality of caste-based discrimination in modern India.

Bala (2019):

Ayushmann stars as the titular character- Balmukund Shukla aka Bala- a young Kanpur lad who is suffering from male pattern baldness, and the story is about his lack of confidence and societal pressure that comes with premature balding. Another theme in the film is colourism and the obsession regarding fair skin and its equation with beauty. In the climax, there are some very important lessons about accepting oneself- being comfortable in one’s own skin and embracing all the flaws and shortcomings.

Shubh Mangal Zyada Savdhaan (2020):

A spiritual successor to Shubh Mangal Savdhaan, this movie is a story about a gay man and his partner, who have trouble convincing the former's parents of their relation. In this rom-com, Ayushmann’s Kartik very deftly fights the taboo around same-sex relationships and teaches how the LGBTQ also deserves tolerance and love.