Harshada Rege (DNA; January 2, 2018)

The year 2017 was a great one for Ayushmann Khurrana, and now, he is excited about going ‘dark’ in 2018. It will be a major shift for the actor, who has a foothold in the slice-of-life genre. He’s equally aware of the booming digital world and the challenges that it will pose for filmmakers. Here, he talks about all that and much more...

The choices that you made last year paid off. Does that make you braver as an actor?
As an artiste, you need to connect with scripts first. I should be excited about doing them. I’ve always enjoyed taking up roles that are unconventional. In fact, I started off as an unconventional actor; so, my choices would be like that. I would love to do things that nobody else is attempting. Films like Vicky Donor, Dum Laga Ke Haisha, or Shubh Mangal Saavdhan were really off-centre and concept-based. This year, too, I will continue to do the same. 

You had three releases in 2017. Is that how you want to work ahead?
I generally go with my gut feeling. This year, I have two releases — Shoot The Piano Player (working title) and Badhaai Ho. I don’t want to jump at everything, but I’ve been getting great content now, so I’ll follow this trend.

With Sriram Raghavan’s Shoot The Piano Player, you are stepping into the thriller space. How has that experience been?
It is, of course, one of the darkest films that I’ve done so far because I’ve only done light-hearted movies till date. After being in the industry for five years and establishing myself in slice-of-life films, I needed to make that shift. It was a deliberate effort. I’m fortunate that I’m working with Sriram. His process is completely different. You have to be on your toes as an actor. I’m glad that I’ve done theatre in the past, so there’s a lot of room for improvisation.

Many actors have turned producers in recent times. Do you see yourself getting into that space, too?
I recently produced a short film for my wife, Tahira, with Mukesh Chhabra and Ajay Rai. It was screened at the MAMI Festival and was also nominated in the best short film category. It was an experiment from my side as a producer, though I’ve always wanted to be a writer-director. But I’m an artiste, so I think like one. In order to have a producer’s sensibility, I need someone who knows his stuff. If in the future, I’ve to collaborate then I would like to do so with Mukesh and Ajay as I trust them. Though we worked together for a short while, the process was exciting. But right now, I’m too busy with my acting assignments. So, let’s see how it goes in the future.

We are in the phase of digital revolution. Actors like Saif Ali Khan, Nawazuddin Siddiqui, and Rajkummar Rao have already made their foray. Do you plan to explore the space too?
As an actor, I’m excited about everything related to acting — be it stage, television, films or digital. It’s the character and script that excite me. People say digital is the future, but I would say that it is the present. It’s already arrived. If I get an edgy, wacky script with a zany character, I would love to do it.

Do you think streaming channels will make a huge impact on the business of cinema?
There is great competition from that side. I think digital is the space where censorship is lenient, and you can create content which you can go crazy with. Having said that, the whole experience of collectively going to a theatre to watch a film is vintage, nostalgic and entertaining as compared to seeing something on your laptop or home theatre. The audience’s collective consciousness reflects on us at the same time. Film viewing will never suffer because of this, but, of course, we need to be more creative with the content. We have to be out-of-the-box with the creative process where we have to give something to the audience that they want to watch.

Last year, slice-of-life movies were loved by the audience and towards the end, typical masala films made money. Do you see the trend continuing in 2018?
I think we do our own research, make our own permutation-combination and call it a trend. But eventually, it’s entertainment that survives. If people are entertained, they will love the film irrespective of its genre and tonality. A movie has to connect with the audience. That’s my take on it. We saw Baahubali 2: The Conclusion, which was a mammoth success in the initial months. Then, there was a huge surge of movies like Bareilly Ki Barfi and Shubh Mangal Saavdhan. Towards the end again, there were commercial films. So, it’s just entertainment that the audience responds to.

You are also a musician and a writer. Do you have plans to come out with a single or pen something new this year?
As of now, I’ve been singing for my films. I sang Nazm Nazm for Bareilly Ki Barfi, which was liked by a lot of people. Then there was an unplugged version of Kanha in Shubh Mangal Saavdhan, which was a beautiful track. There is no desperation to cut a single or have an album because I’m happy to lend my voice for my films. If there’s a decent gap between two movies, I might come up with something because I’ve some songs ready. I’m just waiting for the right moment.

Any New Year resolution?
I don’t believe there’s a certain time to make a resolution. There’s no wrong time to do the right thing. If you know this has to be done, then the month doesn’t matter. But yes, at the beginning of the year, you think about what you would like to do that year. I would want to do more films, strike a balance between my professional and personal life, learn more music and be more regular with my riyaaz. I had neglected it in 2017 due to my busy schedule.

Sanyukta Iyer (MUMBAI MIRROR; December 14, 2017)

Ayushmann Khurrana, the poster boy of slice-of-life dramas like Vicky Donor, Dum Laga Ke Haisha, Bareilly Ki Barfi and more recently, Shubh Mangal Saavdhan, will be seen in a completely different avatar in Sriram Raghavan’s yet-untitled thriller. The 33-year-old actor plays a blind piano player caught in a crisis. “Since I’m playing a blind man we needed to be careful with the stunts. Sriram was clear that the action could not come across as macho, stereotyped and unbelievable. I promise you they look gritty and believable,” assures Ayushmann.

For one action sequence, he jumped off the first floor of a building without a harness, using a technique Sriram has tried and tested in his earlier films like Johnny Gaddar and Badlapur. “I did it in one take without getting hurt. It was a huge high because action is a first for me. The film has several chases and hand-to-hand combats too,” informs the actor who can finally tick off Sriram’s name from his bucket list. “He was one of the directors I’ve always wanted to work with. He expects you to be in top form with respect to the energy you bring to the set. He believes in organic, last-minute improvisations and that made me look forward to my call sheet every day,” he smiles.

Roshmila Bhattacharya (MUMBAI MIRROR; November 27, 2017)

The name Tabu instantly brings to mind a guilt-ridden Nimmi from Maqbool, Vishal Bhardwaj's indianised version of Macbeth, haunted by the ghosts of her past. Her past also catches up with her in Vishal's desi Hamlet, Haider, with Ghazala meeting an explosive end. From the hapless Mumtaz in Chandni Bar to the hard-as-nails I G Meera in Drishyam, her unforgettable portrayals have typed Tabu as an intense actress. So, it was a welcome change to see her in Rohit Shetty's Golmaal Again, the only Hindi fi lm this year to hit a double century at the box-offi ce. Despite her connection with ghosts and intrigues, Tabu's Anna Mathew adds to the fun.

"Rohit and I have been waiting to work together and when he told me he wanted to meet me for the next Golmaal, I knew it would be something out of the ordinary. I have that faith in him and my talent," she reminisces with a smile.

She was not disappointed as the character had depth and intensity because it takes a special person to see spirits. But she realised she'd have to play Anna differently because this film was in a light-hearted zone. "I'm glad Rohit thought of me. Playing Anna was easy and going by the reactions, the audience loved her too, in particular her voiceovers at the beginning and end which bring the story together and are one of the fim's USPs," Tabu says.

Golmaal Again saw her return to the screen with Ajay Devgn. Their association goes back to the carefree days before they became actors and their camaraderie spills over on the sets. "With Ajay I never feel like I am working," she reasons, all set to reunite with him in Luv Ranjan's next. "It's a light-hearted take on relationships and starts early next year."

For now, there's Sriram Raghavan's thriller, tentatively titled Shoot The Piano Player, which also features Ayushmann Khurrana and Radhika Apte. Tabu will only say, "It's a new genre for me to explore after a long time."

Once she wraps it up around mid-December, she wants to take off on her travels. After bringing in her birthday on November 4 in Srinagar with friends, family and greenery, she plans to add to her bucket list in the new year. "I love travelling, someday I want to visit Peru and Machu Picchu. I also want to travel the length and breadth of our country, Lucknow to Mount Abu and Kanyakumari," she says, going on to talk about her travels through Bengal, North East and Sikkim, revealing that she is a compulsive shopper who manages to find something to buy even in remote villages and once returned from a trip to the US with 21 bags. Phew!

Ayushmann Khurrana on switching gears from romantic comedies to a gritty thriller with Sriram Raghavan’s upcoming film
Sanyukta Iyer (MUMBAI MIRROR; August 16, 2017)

In a distinctive departure from his repertoire of slice-of-life films, Ayushmann Khurrana is gearing up to take on a gritty role in Sriram Raghvan’s next thriller, the tentatively titled Shoot The Piano Player, also featuring Tabu and Radhika Apte. Ayushmann, who has raked up quite a discography alongside his acting credits, including “Paani Da” from Vicky Donor and “Saadi Galli Aaja” from Nautanki Saala!, plays a musician in Sriram’s film and has been learning to play the piano for his turn. “Piano is different and difficult. Since I have an ear for music, I can easily grasp the notes and gauge the different chords but it’s still a long way to go,” he says.

The actor is also acutely aware of the radical shift he’s making with Sriram, who he hails as the “king of thrillers” for having helmed acclaimed films like Ek Hasina Thi, Johnny Gaddaar and, more recently, the Varun Dhawan-starrer Badlapur. “This is the first time I’m attempting a role that’s serious and completely different from the characters I’ve played before. Tabu and Radhika are really solid actors and I have extensive onscreen interaction with both of them,” Ayushmann tells Mirror, adding that 40 per cent of the film has been wrapped up in Pune and the next schedule is expected to roll in October.

The 32-year-old actor, who has previously featured in the National Award-winning Vicky Donor and Dum Laga Ke Haisha, lets us in on his process of choosing films. “Both those films were similarly mounted and revolved around middle class values. I’m not delusional, I know that I have small-medium budget films to my credit,” he explains, further reasoning that an actor’s debut film is often known to set the course of his career. “So, I pick films that are high on content. I believe every actor needs to establish themselves in a genre first to break it eventually. Now that I am experimenting with a thriller, the audience will expect a shock value. My role is going to be impactful. I like to invest time and feel out each genre. I don’t think it’s possible to change your image with every film and it’s even more difficult to get great scripts in each genre. With this thriller, I know Sriram Raghavan will bring out the best in me, because he is nuanced in the genre and is a master storyteller. I’ll have to find an action director who is just as established if I were to switch to the action genre,” notes Ayushmann.

So it was a conscious decision to stay in the comedic fold for so long? The actor argues that his romcoms have been subtle and have given his public personality a tonality. “There’s no conscious attempt to make people laugh. The humour is very matter-of-fact,” he chuckles.

Avinash Lohana (MUMBAI MIRROR; June 19, 2017)