Ayushmann Khurrana has spoken about the changing definition of stardom in Bollywood, saying that it is no longer limited to an “exclusive club” of mainstream film actors. According to the actor, the rise of social media personalities, influencers and YouTubers has created multiple entertainment spaces, each with its own set of stars and audiences.
Speaking at FICCI Frames 2026 in Mumbai on Tuesday, Ayushmann participated in a session titled Cinema at Crossroads - The Rules of the Big Screen. Filmmaker Sriram Raghavan and Denzil Dias, VP and Managing Director, India Theatrical at Warner Bros Discovery, were also part of the session.
Discussing how the entertainment landscape has evolved, Ayushmann said that audiences today follow personalities across different platforms and entertainment formats. “We are dwelling in multiple universes, where there are multiple worlds of entertainment and there are multiple stars of each world, be it influencers, or YouTubers, etc. There are certain stars who are big and you probably don't know about them and there are certain people who know about them,” he said.
The actor further pointed out that stardom has become relative, with the script increasingly playing a central role in determining a film's appeal. “So, stardom is relative and script is the star. It is not one size fits all... It used to be exclusive club earlier but not anymore,” he added.
Ayushmann also emphasised his belief that a film's story should take precedence over the actor's star image. While discussing his upcoming spy comedy Udta Teer, he said he is returning to the kind of storytelling and authenticity that has been associated with his work.
“I'm going back to my core, which is authenticity. If we give authentic subject to people that's a good draw. I believe in my next film, Udta Teer it is like a reverse uno stuff but I'm excited about it as I'm going back to my core. It is my genre,” he added.
The actor's comments come amid a broader shift in how audiences discover and engage with entertainment, with digital creators building substantial fan bases outside the traditional film industry.
BOLLYWOOD NEWS - LIVE UPDATES
Catch us for latest Bollywood News, New Bollywood Movies update, Box office collection, New Movies Release , Bollywood News Hindi, Entertainment News, Bollywood Live News Today & Upcoming Movies 2026 and stay updated with latest hindi movies only on Bollywood Hungama.