Ayushmann on chanting ‘Pakistan Zindabad’ in Udta Teer: ‘I do whatever the script demands’ - The Indian Express
Ayushmann Khurrana is on a roll with two back-to-back releases, Udta Teer and Yeh Prem Mol Liya. At the trailer launch of Udta Teer on Wednesday, September 24, Khurrana, along with the film’s cast and crew, spoke about doing a spy comedy with a twist. The film sees Ayushmann Khurrana play a Pakistani spy who loses his memory and, despite retaining his patriotism, forgets which country he belongs to and starts believing he is Indian.
In the film, Ayushmann plays Bilal Ahmed, a Pakistani spy who suffers memory loss. He starts believing he is Indian and this confusion forms the basis of the film’s situational comedy and chaos. At the trailer launch, Ayushmann was asked whether it was difficult for him to chant ‘Pakistan Zindabad’ while playing a Pakistani agent. The actor said he simply followed what the script demanded of his character.
“That’s part of the script ya. As an actor, you are ready to do anything. Voh toh hota hi raha hai, har ek spy film mein hota hai. (That has always been happening. It happens in all spy films) but the difference is that this is a spy comedy. Spy comedy hai, patriotic comedy hai, genre bender hai. Main hamesha script ko pehle dekhta hoon. (It’s a spy comedy, patriotic comedy, genre bender. I always see the script first). Whatever the script demands from me, I do. And I am a director’s baby, and he has written a fantastic script,” Khurrana said.
Sara Ali Khan, who stars opposite Ayushmann Khurrana in the film, also spoke about their unusual on-screen equation. Interestingly, Udta Teer was shot before Pati Patni Aur Woh Do, in which the two actors shared screen space together.
“I had a blast, honestly. This film, actually, we shot before Pati Patni Aur Woh Do. But accha tha, alag tha. (It was nice and different) As an actor, aapko mazza tab aata hai jab ek hi actor ke saath aapki chemistry itni alag ho sakti hai, kyunki jo film aap kar rahe ho, jo kirdaar aap kar rahe ho, vo kitni alag hai. Ek jagah aap unki life mein Tehelka [her character in Pati Patni Aur Woh] banke aayi ho, ek jagah par aap inki wife hain (As an actor, you start enjoying when you can have varied chemistry with the same actor because the film you’re doing, the characters that you’re playing, are very different. In one film, you play Tehelka and in this, you play his wife) equation itna alag hai ki (the equation is so different that) almost in the same time we were able to have such a different equation with the same actor. It was, honestly, so thrilling for me,” she said.
The Thamma actor, meanwhile, praised his co-star. “It’s always amazing working with Sara. She brings wonderful energy on set,” he said.
Udta Teer also marks the directorial debut of writer Akash A Kaushik, who has brought together an ensemble cast featuring Khurrana, Ali Khan, late actor Mukul Dev, Gulshan Grover, Ram Kapoor, Raghubir Yadav, Supriya Pilgaonkar, Smita Tambe, Brijendra Kala and Sandeep Anand.
Produced by Dharma Productions and Sikhya Entertainment, Udta Teer is scheduled to release on October 9.
