ACTOR Ayushmann Khurrana recently said he had no hesitation in playing a Pakistan agent in his upcoming spy comedy, Udta Teer, where he surrendered himself to the script and the director. The film, directed by debutante director Akash A Kaushik, revolves around a Pakistani spy named Bilal Ahmad (Khurrana), who enters India, and suffers from memory loss after an accident, and mistakenly believes he is an Indian spy. "It was part of the script (referring to 'Pakistan zindabad' dialogue). As an actor, you are ready to do anything. This is a spy comedy, it is a patriotic comedy, it is a genre bender. I do what the script demands, I'm a director's baby. It is a fantastic script," Khurrana told reporters at trailer launch of Udta Teer. The actor credited the director for developing a unique story like Udta Teer, which he described as India's first patriotic comedy film. "You must have watched spy films and they've their own take. But we haven't seen a film like this (Udta Teer) and this story is Akash's brainchild," he said. Khurrana, known for films like Thamma, Article 15, Andhadhun, Vicky Donor among others, said he has always been a "risk-taker" and has often experimented with different genres and subjects. "It is the most difficult character because things were happening around him.

 

I had to have that straight face; though there were moments when I felt like laughing but I couldn't. I had to be normal while there was chaos happening around me," he added. The film features Sara Ali Khan opposite Khurrana in the film. The actor said she was drawn to UdtaTeer because of its unusual premise. "When I heard the story, I so wanted to be part of this world. It is a unique and fresh film. The character is not like my real self and hence it was exciting for me to do it," she said. Producer Guneet Monga Kapoor said that Udta Teer is neither a spoof nor slapstick comedy. "This film has everything. It is classic family entertainment, there's confusion, love, mystery, laughter, emotion, patriotism, it's a whole mix. But this is not a spoof, it is situational comedy, not slapstick," she said. The movie boasts of an ensemble cast including Rahul Bose, Ram Kapoor, Suhail Nayyar, Gulshan Grover, Raghubir Yadav, Supriya Pilgaonkar, Smita Tambe, and the late Mukul Dev among others. Khurrana paid tribute to Dev, who he believes was "underutilised" by the film industry. "He was one of the brightest and brilliant talents in our country. A film titled, Omerta had come out a few years ago, and it was his brainchild, he had written that. I think he has been underutilised. And you will see him for the last time (in 'Udta Teer'), this is like a swansong and a tribute to Mukul Dev." Udta Teer is set to release in cinemas on October 9.