Ayushmann Khurrana impressed fans with his recent release Badhaai Ho, which also featured Dangal girl Sanya Malhotra. And with the back-to-back success of his films including Bareilly Ki Barfi, Shubh Mangal Saavdhan, Andhadhun and now Badhaai Ho, Ayushmann has successfully made his mark in the film industry.
Badhaai Ho, which released on Thursday, collected Rs 7.29 crore on Day 1 at the Indian box office, barring the Madhya Pradesh market where theatres are on strike, according to the film's makers.
The opening day figure is said to be the biggest in Ayushmann's career.
"It is an overwhelming and a humbling moment for me as an actor. As an artiste, I have always backed concepts, filmmakers who were doing clutter breaking work. I think I have been lucky enough in my journey to have got the right films and I'm thankful to all my filmmakers for believing in me," Ayushmann said in a statement.
Ayushmann, in a very short period of time, has become the poster boy of content films that do exceptionally well at the box office.
His acting career began with a film like Vicky Donor, which explored the concept of sperm donation in a very convincing and entertaining way. With his recent projects, he has become a poster boy of content-driven films which have fetched good results at the box office.
The actor said: "If a film is not watched and enjoyed and endorsed by audience, it is not a success. So, the rules don't change even if it's a content film. Whenever I get a script in my hand, I think from the position of whether I would want to watch this film as an audience.
"I always go with my instinct and my reading of audience. So far and thankfully, more often than not, I have got the right answers. This reward is extremely gratifying for me because it teaches me that I'm choosing the right films," he said.
As Badhaai Ho -- a film about a man whose mother becomes pregnant -- is well on its way to become the fourth back-to-back success for Ayushmann, he said: "It is truly rare to receive so much love. As an artiste, you only want to entertain people. So, this appreciation is extremely moving and empowering.
"It motivates me to do better work, to scout for better scripts and to be disruptive yet entertaining," he said.
(With IANS Inputs)