Actor Ayushmann Khurrana has said that stardom is no longer an "exclusive club" and that the authenticity and strength of a film's script are increasingly important for its success in theatres.
Speaking at the session 'Cinema at Crossroads - The Rules of the Big Screen' on the first day of FICCI Frames, Khurrana said the entertainment landscape has changed significantly with audiences now having access to stars and creators across multiple platforms.
According to the actor, the emergence of influencers and YouTubers has expanded the definition of stardom, with different personalities building their own dedicated audiences.
"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.," Khurrana said.
He added that some personalities may have a large following within their own audience communities even if they are not widely known outside those circles.
Khurrana's comments come amid a changing entertainment ecosystem in which theatrical releases compete for audience attention with streaming platforms, social media creators and other forms of digital entertainment.
The actor emphasised that in this environment, filmmakers and performers need to focus on delivering stories that audiences can connect with, rather than relying solely on conventional notions of stardom.
