Badhai Ho turns 2: Ayushmann talks of normalising taboo topics

The Amit Sharma directorial revolves around an aging couple, played by Neena Gupta and Gajraj Rao, who must deal with a case of accidental pregnancy. Ayushmann essayed their son, while Sanya Malhotra was cast as his girlfriend.

Mumbai: The Ayushmannn Khurrana-starrer comedy, Badhaai Ho, released two years ago on this day. The actor says he has been trying to normalise taboo conversations in India through his cinema.

The Amit Sharma directorial revolves around an aging couple, played by Neena Gupta and Gajraj Rao, who must deal with a case of accidental pregnancy. Ayushmann essayed their son, while Sanya Malhotra was cast as his girlfriend.

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“I have been trying to normalise taboo conversations in India through my cinema. Right from my debut film ‘Vicky Donor’, you will notice that I have tried to do my bit to have a constructive conversation with society about the need for change,” Ayushmann said.

He added: “I have strongly felt that through cinema, we could tell society to widen its gaze towards important subjects that were not being addressed.”

Ayushmann is happy that India has accepted his films. “We are a shy country, and there is beauty to it, but what I am happy about is how people of my country have appreciated my style of cinema,” he said.

Ayushmann said that “Badhaai Ho” was an attempt to highlight the fact that physical love between parents should not be frowned upon.

“Their love is the biggest proof that our society wants to normalise deepseated issues, and that’s the biggest validation for me as an artiste. With ‘Badhaai Ho’, I tried to normalise the sexual desire that our parents can have, and there’s nothing wrong in that.”

He added that for Bollywood, such a storyline was rare but it was necessary.

The makers of “Badhai Ho” have announced a follow-up, “Badhai Do”, recently. The new film will star Rajkummar Rao and Bhumi Pednekar.