Ayushmann Khurrana says he has to do commercial films to make important films like Anek

Asyuhmann Khurrana is one of the most reliable stars in Bollywood. With his versatile body of work, the actor has a way of landing box office hits and shining in films that offer social commentary. Now, he’s all set to appear in yet another social drama. Anek marks Khurrana’s second collaboration with Article 15 director Anubhav Sinha. Ahead of the film’s release, the actor has opened up about doing commercial movies alongside those with serious themes. 

In an interview with ETimes, Ayushmann Khuranna talked about why it’s important to do films that perform well at the box office. He said, “Dream Girl, Badhaai Ho, and Bala were light-hearted films. An Action Hero is a commercial film. You have to do commercial cinema so that films like Anek and Article 15 will find support. You get courage from your commercially successful films to do films like Anek and Article 15. That balance is very important.”

He added, “Of course, you can’t view Anek through a commercial lens. This is not a 100-crore film. It’s an important film.” 

He further explained his take on cinema and gave Fahadh Faasil a shoutout, saying, “I watch all kinds of cinema. I love watching Malayalam cinema. I am a huge fan of Fahadh Faasil. His films are not commercial per se. He listens to his heart. I listen to Malayalam and Bengali songs. So, I think every genre of cinema is important. You need to know more about your country than just knowing about world cinema. You need to know the people you are trying to connect with.”

In Anek, Asyushmann Khurrana plays an undercover agent as he navigates conflicts in Northeast India. On his mission, he connects with Aido, a boxer who wants to win a medal for India. The film, which also stars Andrea Kevichusa, Manoj Pahwa, and more, arrives in cinemas on May 27 this year.