At the heart of Dream Girl 2, the sequel to Ayushmann Khurrana's 2019 film Dream Girl, is comedy. The actor claims that the film is complete entertainment that caters to diverse audiences.
Ayushmann has tackled various social and taboo issues in his filmography, tackling topics like sperm donation in Vicky Donor, body shaming in Dum Laga Ke Haisha, erectile dysfunction in Shubh Mangal Saavdhan, and premature baldness in Bala.
Director: Raaj Shaandilyaa
Writers: Naresh Kathooria, Raaj Shaandilyaa
Stars: Paresh Rawal, Ananya Panday, Ayushmann Khurrana
Instead, Dream Girl 2 maintains a similar tone to its predecessor. “It's a slapstick movie, made for leaders, a massive movie. We're not delving into any serious issues here. It is a movie that does not require much thought while watching. It is not a film with a social conscience,” Ayushmann told PTI during an interview.
“Dream Girl gave me the highest box office figures of my career. It set the right tone and we've carried that vibe forward. So this movie caters more to Tier 2 or Tier 3 audiences, not just in multiplexes but also in single screen theaters,” he added.
Directed by Raaj Shaandilyaa, Dream Girl featured Ayushmann Khurrana as Karam, a man who makes a living by posing as a female voice named Pooja. The film, which also stars Nushrratt Bharuccha, Annu Kapoor, Manjot Singh, Vijay Raaz and Abhishek Banerjee, emerged as one of the highest-grossing films of 2019.
Four years later, Ayushmann and his team return with the sequel, challenging themselves to surpass the excellence of the first part. “The main inspiration for this film was the audience's love for Dream Girl. And of course, that forces you to explore something else or take it to the next level with higher stakes and upgrades. We keep thinking, how do we achieve that? Raaj came up with the brilliant idea to reveal Pooja in the flesh, not only her voice but also her appearance in the film. That's the next level we've reached with Dream Girl 2,” he explained.
In Dream Girl 2, which opens in theaters on August 25, Ayushmann reprises his role as Karam, who decides to cross-dress as Pooja to earn enough money to marry his love interest, played by Ananya Panday.
Ayushmann Khurrana, 38, stressed that his goal was to strike a careful balance in playing his character, making sure that he doesn't come across as insensitive to the opposite gender with his cross-dressing role. “I approach a character trying not to overdo it. I aim for realism, taking sensitivities into account. Ultimately, entertainment matters. We're not putting anyone down, and that's our goal with this movie. But the core of this movie is comedy."
The Chandigarh-born actor humorously shared that the women in his family found him "pretty" as Pooja. “They found me very pretty, and my mom always wanted to have a daughter. So, her wish has come true. Every child has a childhood photo, especially me, where my mom dressed me in a dress. I have such a photo and I think I will share it on Instagram soon, ”he joked.
Ayushmann also revealed that the sequel has been created on a larger scale. “When the first movie is successful, you allocate a bigger budget. This movie looks bigger; the value of production has increased. The star cast is expanded including prominent actors like Paresh Rawal, Seema Pawar, Asrani and Rajpal Yadav. The movie introduces more characters, which was a lot of fun,” he concluded.
After a challenging 2022 for the Hindi film industry, back-to-back blockbusters like Pathaan, Zara Hatke Zara Bachke, Satyaprem Ki Katha and Rocky Aur Rani Kii Prem Kahaani have seemingly rejuvenated the industry. The theatrical releases of Ayushmann Anek, Doctor G and An Action Hero faced challenges last year, with An Action Hero gaining recognition for its streaming debut on Netflix.
Ayushmann believes that the evolution of audience taste is a positive change. “The phase of watching movies from home is over; people want to go out and watch on the big screens. I'm glad even the mid-budget movies are doing the trick; this change is a welcome change. It encourages me because my movies tend to have smaller budgets but focus on content,” he stated.
Watch Dream Girl 2 2023 Movie Trailer
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