Ayushmann Khurrana: The Path For Shubh Mangal Zyada Saavdhan’s Success Was Paved By Other Films

Shubh Mangal Zyada Saavdhan has taken the box office by storm. Starring Ayushmann Khurrana and Jitendra Kumar in the lead, the film is the first romantic comedy featuring a gay romance in Bollywood.

However, Ayushmann ascribes the film's success to all the Hindi LGBTQ films that preceded it. He says that without the monumental work done by films like Aligarh and Fire, and the actors that starred in it, it wouldn't have been the same for Shubh Mangal Zyada Saavdhan.

Ayushmann told IANS, "The fact that Shubh Mangal Zyada Saavdhan is a success today is because the path was made for it by others. Many before me have toiled hard to make the path smoother. We have to realize and acknowledge the monumental work that was done by some of the finest actors of Indian cinema much before me."

He continued, "Before Shubh Mangal Zyada Saavdhan, our industry has also made some of the most soul-touching films on the subject. I don't think we can ever forget Shabana Azmi ji's incredible performance and Nandita Das's heart-wrenching acting in Fire, Sanjay Suri and Purab Kohli's vulnerability in My Brother Nikhil, Manoj Bajpayee's brilliance in Aligarh, and Kalki Koechlin's strength in Margarita With A Straw."

Ayushmann also appreciated films like Bombay Talkies, Kapoor And Sons, and Ek Ladki Ko Dekha Toh Aisa Laga for having depicted and handled same-sex relationships with 'profound thought, dignity and sensitivity'.

"Today, Shubh Mangal Zyada Saavdhan is being celebrated the world over and I have to share this moment with all the actors and directors who had taken it on themselves to promote inclusivity in our country. This is a very special moment in my life and I'm cherishing all the love that my film and my performance is receiving and I feel blessed to be acting at a time where I can stand up, back and root for a social cause like this," he signed off.

Directed by Hitesh Kewalya, Shubh Mangal Zyada Saavdhan also stars Gajraj Rao and Neena Gupta.

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