Ever since the release of Vicky Donor, his debut movie in 2012, Ayushmann Khurrana has made a name for himself for picking up ‘out of the box’ topics. With his latest release – Gulabo Sitabo on Amazon Prime Video – Ayushmann has once again proved that not only does he wish to push the boundaries with each film, but also excel at it. Be it a sperm donor, a man acting as a blind guy, a bald guy, or one with erectile dysfunction, he’s done it all and done it in style. Doffing our hat to the multitalented Ayushmann, here’s looking at five unforgettable performances by him that prove his versatility.
Gulabo Sitabo
In Shoojit Sircar’s Gulabo Sitabo, Ayushmann portrays the role of an exasperated tenant who is determined to not to vacate the haveli, much to the distaste of his landlord, played by Amitabh Bachchan. Firstly, let’s just say that sharing the screen space with Big B is no mean feat, let alone the constant on-screen bickering with the legend. But we see the actor once again come to the fore and manage to leave us in awe with his sheer talent and screen presence. Blessed with some of the film’s memorable dialogues, Ayushmann takes no time to get into the skin of the character to make us sympathize with him and his woes.
Andhadhun
Andhadhun is undoubtedly, one of the best performances of Ayushmann Khurrana. After all, this dark comedy fetched him his first National Award for Best Actor. His portrayal of Akash, a blind pianist who finds himself embroiled in a murder, was praised by one and all. Open to various interpretations and unpredictable from beginning to end, this Sriram Raghvan film is an engaging thriller that keeps you on your toes and leaves you guessing all the way. Along with the riveting plot and background music, one got to see Tabu deliver a performance to remember along with Radhika Apte showing just how good an actress she is.
Vicky Donor
Debut films don’t get any better than this if you ask us. And let’s not forget the fact that Ayushmann was not averse to taking a role that a mainstream actor might have. He played a confident, Delhi guy who becomes a sperm donor. The film, directed by Shoojit Sircar, was like a tailor-made debut for Ayushmann who fit in the role like a glove and impressed the audience not only with his acting talent but also his singing skills. I mean, who can forget “Paani da rang”.
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If you thought he could only play light-hearted roles and couldn’t play the role of an honest cop who’s fed up with the system, well think again. We saw just how good he can be in uniform as Ayushmann Khurrana played an IPS officer for the first time in this hard-hitting film by Anubhav Sinha. Posted to a small town in Uttar Pradesh, he comes to face with the ground reality that reeks of discrimination in the name of caste and decides to fight it. One can easily relate to Ayushmann’s character Ayan that represents the educated, urban Indian, who comes from a bigger town and is uninformed when it comes to the ‘real issues’ of our country.
Shubh Mangal Zyada Saavdhan
Ayushmann Khurrana’s first release of 2020, Shubh Mangal Zyada Saavdhan (SMZS), is one of the few mainstream Bollywood movies that deals with homosexuality. Once again, the audience marvelled at Ayushmann’s acting prowess as he portrays a character who is proud of his sexuality and does not hesitate to flaunt it. He understands the stigma and the taboo attached to it, yet he is unstoppable and makes it his life’s mission to get the approval from his partner’s conservative parents’ for their relationship.