Kicking off another franchise with the Rs 100 cr grosser ‘Thamma’, Ayushmann Khurrana says spin-offs and sequels have been a byproduct as he chased novel stories
A still from ‘Thamma’
Social comedies made Ayushmann Khurrana one of the most dependable actors of the crop. But sometimes, putting on fangs and becoming a desi vampire is what it takes to win over the audience. As he did with Thamma, which has crossed the R100 crore mark days after its October 21 release. “It has been hard-earned,” smiles Khurrana, as he relishes his fifth R100 crore grosser. “I’ve always liked to take a punt on unique scripts. I’ve been fortunate that most of them have become big hits.”
Thamma, however, is in stark contrast to his previous hits like Badhaai Ho (2018) and Bala (2019). Also starring Rashmika Mandanna and Nawazuddin Siddiqui, Aditya Sarpotdar’s directorial venture saw Khurrana swap his small-town stories for a horror comedy. With it, he also scored his biggest opener so far. “I became a betaal, and I’m grateful to the audience for accepting me in this role too. It shows that I managed to convince them with my performance and that people want to see different kinds of cinema from me. They love disruptive cinema, which is why I have a decent success ratio at the box office. I’m not a numbers guy, but I also understand that commercial success is the benchmark to check the love that people have given a film.”
Having forayed into the Maddock Horror Comedy Universe, he is eager to see the next chapter in the franchise. Interestingly, he is among the few actors to have several franchises under his belt — from Badhaai Ho to Shubh Mangal Saavdhaan (2017), from Dream Girl (2019) to Thamma. Was it a conscious move? “Honestly, there was no plan or strategy that I would pick films that become franchises,” he shares. “I’ve always tried to find the best scripts. Now it feels good to be part of so many franchises because such films generate additional revenue for the industry.”
Next, he will step into Sooraj Barjatya’s world. The actor will kick off their yet-untitled next, which rolls on November 1. Is he nervous about stepping into the iconic role of Prem that is synonymous with Salman Khan? He laughs off the comparison, saying, “When you are in Sooraj ji’s presence, you can feel the good energy. I’m fortunate that I’m playing Prem in his film.”
Ayushmann Khurrana’s previous Rs 100 crore hits
. ‘Badhaai Ho’
. ‘Bala’
. ‘Dream Girl’
. ‘Dream Girl 2’
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