Mudassar Aziz responds to 'Normalising Infidelity' criticism around 'Pati Patni Aur Woh Do': 'Women in my films have always had…'

The trailer of the Ayushmann Khurrana starrer 'Pati Patni Aur Woh Do' had barely dropped online before director Mudassar Aziz found himself at the centre of a debate, one accusing him of making films that normalise infidelity. Aziz, however, is unfazed, welcoming the conversation as long as it is rooted in fairness.Mudassar Aziz was quick to push back on the criticism, pointing to his broader body of work as evidence. In an interview with Mid-Day, he said, "This is my seventh film. Never before have I made a film that legitimises infidelity." The filmmaker added that he feels misunderstood when such accusations arise.He drew specific attention to the way women are written in his films. The director explained, "Both Ayushmann and I have a history of doing films that don't approach gender politics in a skewed way. In 'Pati Patni Aur Woh' [2019], the husband is faced with the consequences of his actions when his wife and girlfriend join forces. In 'Happy Bhag Jayegi' [2016], I created a protagonist who chooses her partner. Women in my films have always had agency. They are never passive recipients of male behaviour."Convincing Ayushmann Khurrana to come on board was not an easy task. The director revealed that it took multiple sittings before the actor was fully sold to the role. Mudassar Aziz said, "We had three rounds of narrations. After the first time, Ayushmann said he wanted to hear it again. Before the third narration was over, he was having so much fun that he said, 'Let's do it.' He comes with a history of subjects that are difficult. He is never afraid of complicated emotional space."With few Hindi films finding genuine box office success in the post-pandemic era, Aziz stated that he has drawn inspiration from filmmaker friend Mohit Suri. He recalled Suri's words, "Nobody expected 'Saiyaara' [2025] to blow up the way it did, but Mohit believed in it completely. He recently said in an interview that when he was making films with conviction, commerce followed. But when he started chasing the latter, he lost both."Directed by Mudassar Aziz, the movie features Ayushmann Khurrana, Rakul Preet Singh, Sara Ali Khan, and Wamiqa Gabbi. The movie is slated to hit theatres on May 15, 2026.