With Uri crossing Rs 100-crore mark at box office, man of the moment Vicky Kaushal on his military drama being far from jingoistic, and his newfound stardom
Mohar Basu (MID-DAY; January 22, 2019)

Vicky Kaushal is evidently 'josh-ed' up with the thunderous response to his latest release - Uri: The Surgical Strike has raked in Rs 100 crore at the box office. "Uri crossed the benchmark that every film is vying for," beams Kaushal, hardly able to contain his joy. "In fact, the film fared better over the second weekend. Fans have been sending us videos of people reacting to different scenes - it is overwhelming to see them clapping and hooting."

With back-to-back successes in Raazi, Lust Stories, Sanju, Love Per Square Foot and Manmarziyaan last year, Kaushal sealed his place as the star to watch out for. Continuing his golden run in 2019, the actor appears to be living up to the tag. Quiz him if his bankability has improved, and he says, "A hero cannot make a film hit. Movies are made with team effort. I credit Aditya [Dhar, director] and Ronnie Screwvala [producer] for their conviction. A film can turn an actor into a star, but a star can't guarantee a great film on his own."

Before the Yami Gautam-starrer hit screens, tongues were wagging about how the military drama is apparently jingoistic. "After people watched Uri, the jingoism talk has gone down. People understood that the film pays tribute to the Indian Army that executed the covert operation with great efficiency. Aditya made it because he felt the Army deserves to be celebrated."

In an earlier interview post Raazi, the actor had good-naturedly joked that he doesn't get mobbed by fans. Three films later, female adulation is at its peak for Kaushal.

Point this out to him, and he blushes, "Now, it [female adulation] has started. When people spot me walking or driving down the road, they exclaim, 'How's the josh?' It feels good that I have been able to reach out to the audience."