Script Comes First for Me, Says Ayushmann Khurrana

MUMBAI, Oct 1 : Actor Ayushmann Khurrana says the strength of a script and the vision behind a story matter more to him than a filmmaker's experience when deciding whether to take up a film.

Over the past decade, Khurrana has worked on films that challenge conventional ideas while also giving new filmmakers an opportunity to present their creative voices. With his upcoming film Udta Teer, the actor will mark his seventh collaboration with a debutant filmmaker or a director making a Hindi directorial debut.

The journey began with Sharat Katariya's Dum Laga Ke Haisha, followed by R. S. Prasanna's Shubh Mangal Savdhan, Raaj Shaandilyaa's Dream Girl, Hitesh Kewalya's Shubh Mangal Zyada Saavdhan, Anubhuti Kashyap's Doctor G, Aniruddha Iyer's An Action Hero and now Akash A. Kaushik's Udta Teer.

"For me, the script always comes first. I don't look at whether a filmmaker is directing their first film or their tenth. I look at whether they have a story and vision that excites me," Khurrana said.

He said some of the most memorable experiences of his career had come from working with new filmmakers, who bring "hunger, freshness, and the courage to look at something familiar from a different perspective."

"When the belief behind a story is strong, it should be supported," he added.

In Udta Teer, Khurrana plays Bilal Ahmed, a Pakistani spy who loses his memory and begins to believe that he is an Indian. Written and directed by Akash A. Kaushik, the film has been described by Khurrana as a patriotic comedy.

Speaking at the trailer launch, the actor said he was drawn not only to the genre but also to the distinctive world created by Kaushik. He described the script as a combination of chaos, humour and emotion, rooted in a larger idea.

Khurrana also said he follows the demands of the script and considers himself "the director's baby" while working on a film.

Udta Teer is scheduled to release in theatres on October 9, 2026.