What if you no longer needed a blockbuster, a film studio or a giant poster to become a star?

That is the question at the heart of Ayushmann Khurrana’s latest comments on fame. Speaking at FICCI Frames 2026 in Mumbai, the actor said stardom is no longer the “exclusive club” it once was, pointing to the rise of influencers and YouTubers who have built their own audiences.

And no, he isn't saying social media celebrities have replaced film stars. His point is more interesting: there are now multiple kinds of stars, each with their own audiences, platforms and communities.

In a world where one person watches a blockbuster while another spends hours following a creator online, the old definition of celebrity is clearly getting a makeover.

Ayushmann Khurrana Says Bollywood Stardom Has Changed

At the inaugural day of FICCI Frames, Ayushmann took part in a session titled Cinema at Crossroads – The Rules of the Big Screen, alongside filmmaker Sriram Raghavan and Denzil Dias, VP and Managing Director, India Theatrical at Warner Bros Discovery.

Speaking about the changing entertainment landscape, he described it as “multiple universes” with different entertainment worlds and different stars.

His observation was straightforward: some personalities can be extremely popular within their own communities, even if people outside those communities may not know them.

That is where his phrase “stardom is relative” comes in.

In other words, fame doesn't necessarily have to mean being recognised by everyone anymore. It can mean having a deeply engaged audience that cares about what you create.

From Film Stars To Social Media Celebrities: The Fame Game Has Changed

For decades, becoming a star in Bollywood followed a fairly familiar route: films, television appearances, magazine covers, advertising and, of course, theatrical success.

The internet has created another route.

YouTubers, influencers, comedians, podcasters and other digital creators can now build audiences directly through their content. They can publish regularly, speak to followers instantly and develop a personal identity around a particular niche.

That has created a new kind of celebrity culture.

A creator might be a major star among gaming audiences but relatively unknown to someone who rarely watches gaming content. A fashion creator may have enormous influence within the beauty and lifestyle space without being a conventional mainstream celebrity.

This doesn't mean one form of stardom is replacing another. It means the entertainment map has become much bigger.

“Stardom Is Relative, Script Is the Star”

Perhaps the most important part of Ayushmann's comments is not actually about influencers.

It is his belief that “script is the star.”

The actor said the increased importance of scripts in mainstream cinema has also reduced the exclusivity of stardom. For him, the story should be bigger than the actor attached to it.

That idea becomes particularly relevant when audiences have more entertainment options than ever.

A theatrical release isn't competing only with another movie anymore. It is competing for attention with an OTT show, a viral video, a creator's latest upload, a podcast, short-form content and everything else sitting inside a viewer's phone.

The result? A familiar face can create awareness, but a compelling story still needs to give people a reason to care.

Img Src : News18

Why Ayushmann Believes Audience Connection Matters

There is another side to Ayushmann's argument that is easy to miss.

The actor's background includes radio and television presenting, and he says interacting with people remains important to him. According to NDTV, he explained that because of the kind of stories he wants to tell, he needs to stay connected with people at the grassroots level.

His words reveal an interesting philosophy: understanding an audience is different from simply having an audience.

That distinction matters in the creator era too.

Digital creators often build their following by constantly observing what their communities like, discuss and respond to. Traditional entertainers are increasingly using the same platforms to maintain a direct relationship with fans.

The wall between celebrity and audience has become considerably thinner.

Does Cinema Need Bigger Stars Or Better Stories?

Ayushmann Khurrana also spoke about the theatrical business and argued that films need to connect with audiences rather than depending entirely on star power or inflated budgets.

He cited Hanuman Anah and Obsession as examples of small-budget films from different worlds that, in his view, demonstrate the value of audience connection. He argued for films that are more budget-friendly while still finding a way to connect with people.

It is an important point for the Indian film industry, where conversations around scale, spectacle and star power often dominate discussions about theatrical cinema.

His argument isn't that expensive movies don't work. Rather, he is highlighting another possibility: a film can find an audience because of what it has to say or offer, not simply because of how much money was spent on it.

Where Does Udta Teer Fit Into All This?

Interestingly, Ayushmann's next film arrives alongside these comments about authenticity and returning to his creative roots.

Udta Teer is a spy comedy starring Ayushmann Khurrana and Sara Ali Khan. The film follows Bilal Ahmad, a Pakistani spy who enters India, suffers memory loss after an accident and mistakenly believes he is an Indian spy.

The ensemble cast includes Rahul Bose, Ram Kapoor, Suhail Nayyar, Gulshan Grover, Raghubir Yadav, Supriya Pilgaonkar, Smita Tambe and Mukul Dev. Hindustan Times reported that the film marks Mukul Dev's final posthumous performance.

The film is scheduled to release in cinemas on October 9, 2026.

Ayushmann has described Udta Teer as a return to his core and spoken about authenticity as an important part of his approach. That makes the project a natural extension of his larger argument: give audiences a story that feels distinctive, rather than assuming a star's name will do all the work.

Img Src : Free Press Journal

So, What Does Stardom Look Like Now?

The biggest takeaway from Ayushmann's comments is not that Bollywood stars are disappearing.

It is that the definition of a star has expanded.

Earlier, mainstream stardom was largely built around cinema and mass recognition. Today, an individual can build an audience through YouTube, Instagram, podcasts or another digital community and become hugely influential within that space.

For viewers, this simply means more choices. For performers, it means more ways to build a career. And for filmmakers, it means audiences have more reasons to spend their attention elsewhere.

That makes the competition for attention much more interesting.

Maybe the question is no longer simply, “Who is the biggest star?”

Maybe it is: “Who has a story people actually want to hear?”

That is ultimately what makes Ayushmann Khurrana's “exclusive club” comment worth paying attention to. Stardom may have become more open, fragmented and relative - but if his “script is the star” philosophy holds, the story still gets the final word.