Ayushmann Khurrana is once again finding himself at the center of a social media debate, but this time it is not because of a controversial statement or an experimental role. The actor’s upcoming comedy-drama Pati Patni Aur Woh Do started trending online soon after its trailer dropped, with many viewers accusing the film of normalising cheating and infidelity. As clips from the trailer spread across platforms, some audiences questioned whether the movie was trying to present extra-marital confusion as harmless comedy.
Now Ayushmann has finally responded to the criticism, and the actor says people may have misunderstood the actual tone and intention of the film. Speaking to Mathrubhumi English during promotions, Ayushmann defended the project strongly and insisted that the movie does not glorify infidelity in any way. According to him, the film is built around misunderstandings, confusion, and chaotic situations rather than promoting cheating as acceptable behaviour.
The actor pointed out that throughout his career he has mostly chosen films that lean toward socially progressive themes instead of outdated storytelling. Over the years, Ayushmann built a strong reputation for balancing humour with subjects that mainstream Hindi cinema usually avoided earlier. Films like Bala, Shubh Mangal Saavdhan, and Dum Laga Ke Haisha helped create that image for him, where audiences expect layered social commentary hidden inside entertaining stories.
Talking about the backlash, Ayushmann reportedly said he would never knowingly become part of a regressive film. He explained that Pati Patni Aur Woh Do is essentially a “comedy of errors,” not a celebration of betrayal in relationships. Interestingly, the actor even described his character Prajapati Pandey as a “green flag” husband who genuinely loves his wife despite getting trapped in bizarre and messy circumstances.
The debate started mainly because of how the trailer was edited. The promotional footage showed Ayushmann’s married character sharing romantic moments not only with Wamiqa Gabbi, who plays his wife, but also with Sara Ali Khan and Rakul Preet Singh. That immediately led viewers online to assume the film revolves around a man casually juggling multiple romantic relationships behind his wife’s back.
But according to the makers, the actual story is more chaotic and situational than it first appears. Set in Prayagraj, the film reportedly follows what begins as a seemingly stable marriage before one impulsive decision creates a domino effect of suspicion, misunderstandings, emotional confusion, and comic disasters. From the trailer itself, it looks like the narrative is designed around mistaken intentions and escalating complications rather than a straightforward affair drama.
One reason the criticism became louder online is because audiences today react much faster to trailers than before. Social media now judges films within minutes of release, especially when relationship dynamics are involved. Even before a movie hits theatres, viewers often create narratives around characters based only on short promotional cuts. That pressure has become common for Bollywood filmmakers, particularly in romantic comedies where humour and morality frequently overlap in complicated ways.
The film is directed by Mudassar Aziz, who is known for relationship-driven entertainers with ensemble casts and situational humour. He previously directed films like Pati Patni Aur Woh starring Kartik Aaryan, Bhumi Pednekar, and Ananya Panday. While the new film is being called a spiritual sequel, it appears to have a completely fresh story and a different set of characters rather than directly continuing the earlier movie’s plot.
Produced by T-Series Films and B. R. Studios, the film also marks another major ensemble comedy attempt at a time when theatrical comedy films have been struggling to create big box office excitement consistently. Industry observers are already curious whether the controversy around the trailer may actually help the film generate more curiosity before release.
Honestly, this kind of debate has almost become routine for modern Bollywood trailers. A few seconds of edited footage often create larger controversies than the actual movie itself. Sometimes audiences end up discovering later that the emotional context inside the full film is very different from what the trailer suggested. Whether Pati Patni Aur Woh Do manages to balance comedy and relationship drama properly will only become clear once viewers watch the entire story in theatres on May 15.
