‘Yeh ek spy comedy hai, patriotic comedy hai, genre bender hai.’
IMAGE: Ayushmann Khurrana and Sara Ali Khan at the Udta Teer launch event. Photograph: Panna Bandekar
Key Points
- Ayushmann Khurrana and Sara Ali Khan reunite in Udta Teer after Pati Patni Aur Woh Do.
- Karan Johar and Guneet Monga Kapoor team up again after The Lunchbox and Kill.
- Writer Aakash Kaushik makes his directorial debut with Udta Teer.
Pakistani Spy, Indian Patriot
Before he steps into the lovable avatar of Prem in Yeh Prem Mol Liya, Ayushmann Khurrana plays a very different kind of hero in Udta Teer.
The trailer introduces him as a Pakistani spy planning to infiltrate India in a deadly mission. But there’s a twist.
Before we assume this is the Pakistani version of Dhurandhar, the trailer throws a googly of its own.
Ayushmann’s character loses his memory and forgets that he is from Pakistan, but somehow remembers his patriotism, turning the film’s punchline ‘Deshbhakti yaad hai, par desh nahi‘ into its hilarious central premise.
IMAGE: Ayushmann Khurrana and Sara Ali Khan at the Udta Teer launch event. Photograph: Panna Bandekar
At the film’s trailer launch in Mumbai on Wednesday, September 23, the jovial mood was very much in tune with the film. Ayushmann described Udta Teer as “India’s first patriotic comedy” and teased that there’s a lot more in the film than what’s shown in the trailer.
That opened the door to a googly of a question. When asked if the actor himself would ever imagine wanting to be in the neighbouring country if he lost his memory?
Ayushmann and Sara Ali Khan found a rather amusing way to dodge that one!
WATCH: Ayushmann Khurrana and Sara Ali Khan hilariously dodge a question.
Video: Afsar Dayatar/Rediff
The playful mood had started even before the questions began.
Ayushmann arrived late at the event and walked on stage with folded hands. In chaste Hindi, he apologised to the audience and blamed Mumbai traffic.
His words instantly drew laughter from the room: “Main aapke grihna ka patra nahi banna chahta, please maaf kariye.”
When the host turned to Sara, she was quick to defend herself: “Meri galti nahi hai!”
IMAGE: Sara Ali Khan at the Udta Teer launch event. Photograph: Panna Bandekar
Sara-Ayushmann’s Chemistry
Once settled, Ayushmann and Sara slipped into their familiar banter. Interestingly, Udta Teer was shot before Pati Patni Aur Woh Do, although audiences got to see their pairing in the latter first.
Sara admitted that this made the experience particularly interesting because she and Ayushmann get to explore a completely different equation in the two films.
“As an actor, it’s exciting when your chemistry with the same actor can be so different, because the film you are doing and the character you are playing are so different. It was, honestly, so thrilling for me,” Sara said.
Ayushmann was equally warm about his co-star.
“It’s always amazing working with Sara. She brings wonderful energy on set,” he said.
WATCH: Why is Sara Ali Khan jealous of Ayushmann Khurrana?
Video: Afsar Dayatar/Rediff
Spy Comedy, Genre Bender
Given the film’s deliberately absurd premise, Ayushmann was also quick to point out that Udta Teer is not attempting to be a conventional spy thriller.
“Yeh ek spy comedy hai, patriotic comedy hai, genre bender hai. Whatever the script demands from me, I do. And I am a director’s baby,” he said, adding that he approaches a project by looking at the script first.
The film marks the directorial debut of writer Aakash Kaushik, who has previously penned comedies including Housefull 4, Bhool Bhulaiyaa 2, Thank God, Bhool Bhulaiyaa 3 and Bhooth Bangla.
IMAGE: Dharma CEO Apoorva Mehta, Ayushmann Khurrana, Sara Ali Khan, Guneet Monga Kapoor at the Udta Teer launch event. Photograph: Panna Bandekar
The film brings together Karan Johar’s Dharma Productions and Guneet Monga Kapoor’s Sikhya Entertainment, who previously collaborated on The Lunchbox and Kill. While Karan was absent from the event, Guneet took the stage to talk about their creative partnership.
Recalling their earlier collaborations, she said that when they made The Lunchbox, people wondered who would watch a love story about older people, while Kill came with its own concerns over its intense violence.
“Now with Udta Teer, it’s also a different subject, but we are owning our madness,” she said with a smile.
WATCH: Ayushmann Khurrana fixes Guneet Monga Kapoor’s goof-up
Video: Afsar Dayatar/Rediff
Mukul Dev’s Final Film
IMAGE: Guneet Monga and husband Sunny Kapoor at the Udta Teer launch event. Photograph: Panna Bandekar
There was also a more poignant moment during the interaction when the team spoke about Mukul Dev, who appears in what has become his final film.
Ayushmann remembered the late actor as “one of the brightest, most brilliant talents in our country” and described Udta Teer as a tribute to him.
“In Udta Teer, you will see him for the last time. This is like a swan song, it is a tribute to Mukul Dev.”
Udta Teer releases in cinemas on October 9.
