Ayushmann Khurrana: I don’t look at whether a filmmaker is directing their first or tenth film

Actor Ayushmann Khurrana says the experience of a filmmaker matters less to him than the strength of the story and the vision behind it as he prepares for the release of his upcoming film Udta Teer.

Ayushmann, who has worked with filmmakers across different stages of their careers, said he approaches every project by putting the script first rather than considering whether a director is making their debut or their tenth film.

“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,” Ayushmann said.

He added that some of the most memorable experiences of his career have come from working with new voices, describing them as bringing “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,” he said.

Ayushmann has collaborated with several filmmakers on films such as Dum Laga Ke Haisha, Shubh Mangal Saavdhan, Dream Girl, Shubh Mangal Zyada Saavdhan and Doctor G. His latest project, Udta Teer, marks writer Akash A. Kaushik’s feature directorial debut.

In the film, Ayushmann plays Bilal Ahmed, a Pakistani spy who suffers memory loss and begins to believe that he is Indian.

Speaking about the project, the actor said Akash’s vision and the unusual world created for the film were among the factors that attracted him.

“Every new director brings a different energy to the set. With Udta Teer, what drew me in was not just the genre, but the world Akash had created,” he said.

Ayushmann described the film as a rare script that combines chaos, humour and emotion while remaining rooted in a larger idea.

“I wanted to surrender to that vision and allow the character to take me somewhere unexpected,” he added.