AYUSHMANN KHURRANA has been called the common man's superstar. It could be because he plays everyman characters with characteristic ease. And yet, there's an uncommon quality to them. More often than not, they're trying to make a difference in their own small way. They play the voice of reason and are more empathic than others in the film. The trailer of An Action Hero however isn't like his earlier films. As the name suggests, he's seen doing hard core acton. Should Tiger Shroff feel threatened? Ayushmann talks about what made him change lanes and more in an exclusive chat. Excerpts:
WHAT APPEALED TO YOU ABOUT AN ACTION HERO?
An Action Hero is a genre breaker for me. It's a film that excited me at the script level, not just because it was different for me as an actor, but also because it's different for the audience to consume as a genre. And with all the commercial elements involved in it. It's zany, it's fresh, it's disruptive, and it has all the trappings of cinema that I have come to be known for. I play a superstar named Manav, who is borderline arrogant, flamboyant, and has a fetish for cars in the film.
WAS IT A CONSCIOUS CHOICE?
An Action Hero and Dream Girl 2 are my first postpandemic choices. The last three films, Chandigarh Kare Aashiqui, Anek, and Doctor G, were pre pandemic choices. With An Action Hero, I've made a conscious effort to reach out to a wider audience, to give them a film that has more commercial aspects. Though there are no taboo subjects in the film, it is full of quirk, thrills, and dark humour.
WHAT WAS THE MOST CHALLENGING PART OF THE FILM?
The action aspects were the most challenging. I have never done action in my life in any of my films. Of course, I have played aggressive characters during my theatre days. But this time, the hardest part was doing hardcore action.
This story is from the December 2022 edition of Filmfare.
Start your 7-day Magzter GOLD free trial to access thousands of curated premium stories, and 9,000+ magazines and newspapers.
Already a subscriber ? Sign In
This story is from the December 2022 edition of Filmfare.
Start your 7-day Magzter GOLD free trial to access thousands of curated premium stories, and 9,000+ magazines and newspapers.
Already a subscriber? Sign In
Breaking free
NIKKHIL ADVANI'S MAKING WAVES WITH HIS OTT DEBUT, FREEDOM AT MIDNIGHT. HE TALKS ABOUT ITS GENESIS, HIS ASSOCIATION WITH KARAN JOHAR, AND WHAT'S REAL STARDOM WITH SRIJITA SEN
DECK THE HALLS
Chris Evans and Dwayne Johnson join Tanzim Pardiwalla over a video call about their forthcoming Christmas film, Red One, possible Bollywood crossovers and their love for India
Class Act
NEHA DHUPIA SHARES THE SECRET OF JUGGLING MOTHERHOOD AND CAREER WHILE STAYING RELEVANT WITH FARHANA FAROOK
Deep end of the Ocean
Cancer survivor Mahima Chaudhary tells Farhana Farook that playing a similar person in The Signature proved cathartic for her
DESTINY'S WILD CHILD
ALAYA F CAUGHT IN A CONVERSATION WITH JITESH PILLAAI
SEOUL CONNECTION
Director Hwang Dong Hyuk and lead actors Lee Jung Jae and Wi Ha Joon of Squid Game fame talk about the global phenomenon with Tanzim Pardiwalla
"Smita was a victim.not a villain"
Manya Patil-Seth tells Farhana Farook why her late sister Smita Patil was a tragic contradiction – a pioneer of an actor but a prey of emotions
Best of Shatrughan Sinha's Rapid fire
With democracy facing a near-death situation in most of India's neighbouring countries, what, according to you, is the reason why Indian democracy is still standing strong in the current times? Gaurav Pant, New Delhi
THE RISE AND RISE OF PUSHPA 2
When Allu Arjun went to Patna around a month ago to showcase the trailer of Pushpa 2, naysayers mocked the move, stating that he's making a mistake about taking a Telugu film there. Guess what, the actor had the last laugh.
girl, uninterrupted
Fatima Sana Shaikh is so candid and forthright you don't believe she's a star.