Comedy films around marriage problems are nothing new in Bollywood, but director Mudassar Aziz believes audiences may have judged his upcoming film a little too quickly. Ever since the trailer of Pati Patni Aur Woh Do arrived online, social media has been filled with discussions around cheating, extra-marital confusion, and whether films like these still fit modern-day relationships. But according to the filmmaker, the story people are expecting is not really the story he has made.
The film stars Ayushmann Khurrana as Prajapati Pandey, a forest officer whose life spirals into chaos after multiple misunderstandings make him look like the most dishonest husband in town. The twist, however, is that Mudassar says the character is actually the complete opposite of a womaniser. Instead of a man chasing different women, the director claims the film is built around a decent husband getting trapped in situations beyond his control. That contrast, according to him, became the main hook while writing the comedy.
Unlike earlier versions of the “Pati Patni Aur Woh” setup, this one apparently focuses less on temptation and more on confusion. Mudassar explained that he wanted to challenge himself creatively by making a lead character who is extremely loyal to his wife. He said older films on similar themes reflected changing social times, while his 2019 take explored emotional boredom in marriage and communication gaps between couples. This time, though, he intentionally created a protagonist who does not even have a “roving eye,” which changes the entire energy of the story.
In the film, Wamiqa Gabbi plays Ayushmann’s wife, while Sara Ali Khan enters the narrative as a mysterious woman who turns his peaceful life upside down. Adding another layer to the chaos is a colleague played by Rakul Preet Singh. Before long, rumours begin spreading through the town, and Prajapati ends up carrying a reputation he never asked for. Mudassar says the comedy comes from these misunderstandings rather than from glorifying infidelity itself.
The criticism online mainly started after viewers felt the trailer was making light of extra-marital affairs. But Mudassar strongly disagrees with that reading. He said people today are too quick to label content without understanding the full story behind it. According to the director, comedy should come from situations and characters instead of cheap jokes or offensive humour. He also pointed out that both he and Ayushmann have previously worked on films that handled sensitive subjects carefully, including Vicky Donor, Shubh Mangal Saavdhan, and Dum Laga Ke Haisha.
The filmmaker further added that neither he nor Ayushmann would intentionally create something irresponsible just for laughs. In his view, the real answer to criticism will only come once audiences watch the complete film in theatres. He believes storytelling should speak for itself rather than filmmakers constantly defending their intentions online. That confidence is probably why the team has chosen not to react aggressively to the backlash surrounding the trailer.
Apart from the lead cast, the movie also features a strong supporting lineup including Vijay Raaz, Tigmanshu Dhulia, Vishal Vasistha, Guneet Singh, Durgesh Kumar, Ayesha Raza Mishra, Shireesh Kumar Sharma and Deepika Amin. Produced by T-Series Films and BR Studios, Pati Patni Aur Woh Do is set to release in theatres on May 15.
Interestingly, Bollywood has recently seen audiences become much more vocal about relationship themes in mainstream cinema. Romantic comedies that once passed quietly are now dissected online for messaging, morality, and representation. That changing audience behaviour has become a major talking point for filmmakers, especially when comedy mixes with subjects like marriage or infidelity. Whether Pati Patni Aur Woh Do changes people’s opinions after release remains to be seen, but the film has definitely sparked conversation even before hitting theatres.
