FICCI FRAMES 2026: Ayushmann Khurrana, Rasika Duggal & Mukesh Chhabra On Stardom, Authenticity & Children's Content

During a FICCI FRAMES panel titled Cinema at Crossroads - The Rules of the Big Screen, actor Ayushmann Khurrana, FICCI FRAMES Ambassador, discussed the evolving landscape of theatre cinema. Khurrana believes that a single, authentic story can spark conversation and change, and stardom is now more accessible than ever before. He emphasized that the script is the star, and stardom varies from person to person.

Rasika Duggal, who recently starred in Mirzapur The Movie, echoed the importance of authenticity versus accessibility in storytelling. She shared her struggles with capturing the essence of Kashmir for her film Hamid, highlighting the challenge of balancing authenticity with accessibility. Duggal also discussed the dilemma of casting non-Kashmiri actors for the role, which compromises authenticity.

Casting director Mukesh Chhabra spoke about the importance of casting real people and talent to make a connection with the audience. He expressed his content with the abundance of talented individuals in the country, allowing him to cast based on merit rather than popularity. Chhabra noted that while adult-targeted content dominates, there is a lack of programming aimed at children. He specifically mentioned the show Single Papa, which focuses on the Papa rather than the kids.