HBD Ayushmann Khurrana: Dream Girl 2 ends actor's dry spell at box office; what's next?

Ayushmann Khurrana's dry spell at the box office ended with his latest release Dream Girl 2. The Raaj Shaandilyaa film became the biggest opener of his career so far despite the Jawan wave. Read on to know the star's future prospects.

Hyderabad: Ayushmann Khurrana, known for films such as Andhadhun, Vicky Donor, Badhaai Ho, and Bareilly Ki Barfi, is currently basking in the success with his latest release Dream Girl 2. The comedy flick held its own at the box office in the midst of the Gadar 2 and Jawan craze, proving Khurrana's mettle once again at the box office. The film managed to enter the coveted Rs 100 crore club on Tuesday, breaking the actor's dry spell of two years.

Ayushmann Khurrana, the Bollywood actor known for his out-of-the-box film choices, believes that making films that have never been done in Hindi cinema before provides him immense delight and has helped him develop his own genre. The actor stated that the Raaj Shaandilyaa-directed film debuted in theatres at an ideal time when mid-budget films, such as Zara Hatke Zara Bachke and Satyaprem Ki Katha have begun to achieve acceptance.

But what made Dream Girl 2 remarkable was that it did well for itself despite competition from Sunny Deol's Gadar 2 and Shah Rukh Khan's Jawan, which has become a runaway blockbuster since their release. "It's a great victory that we've made it in a crowded field with Gadar 2 and Jawan lined up. And it's still doing these kinds of numbers, so that's satisfying," Khurrana said.

The actor reprises his role as Karam, who resolves to cross dress as Pooja in order to marry the love of his life, Ananya Panday, in Dream Girl 2. Khurrana stated that he was optimistic about the film's potential from the minute he read the script. "When I first heard the script, we were all rolling on the floor laughing. Because it is wildly funny, we were convinced that it would be a commercial hit. The trailer also worked well," he added.

The 38-year-old actor, who will turn a year older on Thursday, stressed the importance of not getting carried away by a film's popularity. "It (success) should not get to you. You must keep your head on your shoulders because this is a volatile industry. Yes, it is time to celebrate, but your dedication to the process must be greater than the outcome."

Dream Girl 2 is a career high for the actor, whose previous releases -- An Action Hero, Doctor G, Anek, and Chandigarh Kare Aashiqui -- had underperformed. About the low phase, Khurrana stated that he believes in learning and growing with each project. "Prior to the pandemic, there was a dream run of seven-eight films having back-to-back commercial hits. But the last two years have been a terrific time for learning; we've learned and evolved a lot, and we've devoured a lot of stuff," the actor noted.

Moving forward, Khurrana now wants to do a mythological film. Stressing on it, he said: "I have a good command of the language. I've performed in Hindi theatres and given public speeches in Hindi. I'd love to be in a big-budget mythical film. I hope that happens soon." The actor also expressed the desire to work in the South film industry. In a recent interview, Ayushmann acknowledged his admiration for Atlee and Malayalam actor Fahadh Faasil. "I would love to work with Atlee or Fahadh Faasil. I'm aware that their filmography is totally opposite, but my choices are also the same as Dream Girl and Andhadhun are at opposite ends of the spectrum," Ayushmann added.