Ayushmann Khurrana Hails Shabana Azmi's Performance In Fire, Manoj Bajpayee In Aligarh As SMZS Becomes A Success

 Ayushmann Khurrana has proved himself time and again by portraying characters not many have tried before, and he feels blessed to be an actor at a time where he can stand up and root for social causes on screen.

On his new film "Shubh Mangal Zyada Saavdhan", Ayushmann feels the film has been successfully made, released and accepted is because even before same-sex relationship became legal in India, many actors stuck their neck out and given the audience some brilliant work on the subject. He says he has all those actors and films to credit first.

"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 realise and acknowledge the monumental work that was done by some of the finest actors of Indian cinema much before me," he said.

He added: "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 mentioned films that brilliantly took on the stereo faced by the LGBTQ+ community.

"Films like 'Kapoor And Sons', Karan Johar's 'Bombay Talkies' and Sonam Kapoor's 'Ek Ladki Ko Dekha Toh Aisa Laga' have all depicted and handled same-sex relationships with profound thought, dignity, and sensitivity," he noted.

"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 declared.