Ayushmann Khurrana on Udta Teer: 'Script and vision matter, not the director's experience'
Synopsis
Ayushmann Khurrana says the script, not a filmmaker's experience, drives every career choice he makes — a philosophy that has produced hits with multiple debut directors. In Udta Teer, he backs writer Akash A. Kaushik's first feature, playing a Pakistani spy who forgets who he is. The film's blend of chaos, comedy and emotion is exactly the kind of unconventional vision Ayushmann says he cannot resist.
Key Takeaways
Ayushmann Khurrana says he evaluates films purely on script and vision, never on a director's experience level.
His upcoming film Udta Teer is the feature directorial debut of writer Akash A.
In the film, Ayushmann plays Bilal Ahmed , a Pakistani spy who suffers memory loss and starts believing he is Indian.
Past successful collaborations with debut directors include Dum Laga Ke Haisha (Sharat Katariya) and Dream Girl (Raaj Shaandilyaa).
Ayushmann described the Udta Teer script as rare for being 'chaotic, funny, emotional and rooted in a larger idea at the same time.'
Actor Ayushmann Khurrana is gearing up for the release of his upcoming film Udta Teer, and in a candid conversation, the Mumbai-based star revealed the philosophy that has shaped his eclectic filmography: he never evaluates a filmmaker by how many films they have directed, only by the strength of their story and vision.
Script First, Résumé Never
Ayushmann said: 'For me, the script always comes first. I don't look at whether a filmmaker is directing their first film or their tenth film...I look at whether they have a story and a vision that can excite me. Some of the most memorable experiences of my career have come from collaborating with new voices.'
He added: 'They bring hunger, freshness and the courage to look at familiar subjects differently. I have always believed that when the conviction behind a story is strong, it deserves to be supported.'
A Career Built on Debut Collaborations
Ayushmann's track record bears out that belief. Among his most celebrated films, several were made by first-time or relatively new feature directors. Sharat Katariya's Dum Laga Ke Haisha and Raaj Shaandilyaa's Dream Girl stand out as his strongest commercial collaborations with debut or early-career filmmakers. Other notable works in his portfolio include R. S. Prasanna's Shubh Mangal Saavdhan, Hitesh Kewalya's Shubh Mangal Zyada Saavdhan, and Anubhuti Kashyap's Doctor G.
Now, with Udta Teer, he is extending that ethos to writer-turned-director Akash A. Kaushik, for whom this marks his feature directorial debut.
Inside Udta Teer: Bilal Ahmed's Blurred Identity
In Udta Teer, Ayushmann plays Bilal Ahmed, a Pakistani spy who suffers memory loss and gradually begins to believe he is Indian — a premise that blends espionage thriller with darkly comic and emotional registers. Describing what drew him to the project, the actor said: 'With Udta Teer, what drew me in was not just the genre, but the world Akash had created. It is rare to find a script that can be chaotic, funny, emotional and rooted in a larger idea at the same time. I wanted to surrender to that vision and allow the character to take me somewhere unexpected.'
Why the Collaboration Matters
Ayushmann's consistent willingness to back first-time directors is notable in an industry where A-list stars typically gravitate toward established names. His choices have arguably helped normalise socially rooted, mid-budget commercial cinema — a genre that has found a reliable audience in the 2010s and 2020s. The success of Dream Girl and Dum Laga Ke Haisha, both directed by debutants, suggests the strategy carries commercial logic as well as creative merit.
With Udta Teer set to arrive soon, audiences and critics alike will watch whether Ayushmann's instinct for backing fresh talent produces another breakout.
Point of View
Where socially rooted scripts find audiences that tent-pole spectacles do not always reach. The real question with Udta Teer is whether a Pakistani-spy-with-amnesia premise — inherently more genre-driven than his usual social comedies — can carry the same crossover appeal. If it does, it signals that his audience follows him into new territory, not just familiar formulas.
NationPress
1 Oct 2026
Frequently Asked Questions
What is Udta Teer about?
Udta Teer is an upcoming Hindi film in which Ayushmann Khurrana plays Bilal Ahmed, a Pakistani spy who suffers memory loss and begins to believe he is Indian. The film is described as blending espionage, comedy and emotion within a larger thematic idea.
Who is directing Udta Teer?
Udta Teer is directed by Akash A. Kaushik, primarily known as a writer, for whom this film marks his feature directorial debut. Ayushmann has said he was drawn by the world Kaushik created in the script.
Why does Ayushmann Khurrana prefer working with debut directors?
Ayushmann has said that new directors bring 'hunger, freshness and the courage to look at familiar subjects differently.' He evaluates projects purely on the strength of the script and the filmmaker's vision, regardless of their experience level.
Which of Ayushmann Khurrana's hit films were directed by debutants?
Dum Laga Ke Haisha, directed by Sharat Katariya, and Dream Girl, directed by Raaj Shaandilyaa, are considered his strongest commercial collaborations with debut or early-career directors. Both films were critically and commercially successful.
When is Udta Teer releasing?
An exact release date for Udta Teer has not been specified in available reports. Ayushmann Khurrana is currently gearing up for its release, suggesting the film is in its pre-release promotional phase as of October 2026.
