‘Sports and cinema have the power to unite India!’: Ayushmann Khurrana on how he is trying to play the role of a unifier through his next, Anek

MUMBAI: Young Bollywood star Ayushmann Khurrana intends to unify India through cinematic experiences. The poster boy of disruptive cinema in India, also lovingly called ‘The Ayushmann Khurrana Genre’, feels that just like sports, films can also bring people closer. He calls his next release Anek, a ‘true blue patriotic film’ that is aiming to deliver a progressive message to Indians about the need to celebrate inclusivity and diversity.

Ayushmann says, “I have always believed that sports and cinema have the power to unite India. They transcend identities and evoke the feeling of being one in that moment. I have closely seen how sports brings people together in celebration and I have also witnessed how cinema can be the unifier of audiences.”

He adds, “When you go to watch a sport, you are united by the emotion of cheering and praying for India to win at the highest level. When you go to watch movies, you don’t care who is sitting next to you but what you care for is the experience you are going to have in a packed theatre full of strangers who have come to have a shared exhilarating experience through films. The intent of Anek is just that.”

Ayushmann further says, “Anubhav Sinha sir and I want people to ponder over the idea of being an Indian. We want people to feel that at the end of the day, we all want India on the right side of history and for India to come through, no matter what. Anek is a true blue patriotic film and I instantly loved the script for that. It gives out a progressive message about inclusivity - something that I have vehemently stood for through my brand of cinema.”

Ayushmann has a stellar line up of films in 2022. Apart from Anubhav Sinha’s Anek that releases on May 27, he will also be seen in Anubhuti Kashyap’s Doctor G and film-maker Aanand L. Rai’s Action Hero being directed by debutant Anirudh Iyer.