Ayushmann Khurrana is stepping into a rather unusual zone with Udta Teer, a spy film that mixes patriotism, action and comedy without treating any one element as a distraction from the other. While spy thrillers are generally expected to carry a serious tone, Ayushmann says the humour in this film comes naturally from the situations rather than being deliberately forced into the narrative. Talking about the challenge of balancing comedy with espionage, the actor said, “Comedy and espionage depend on the situation. In this film, you will see situations that are inherently funny, so I didn't need to force any extra comedy.”
The actor also revealed that Udta Teer offered him plenty of action along with its comic situations. “In fact, I’ve done a lot of action in this movie,” Ayushmann said, explaining that his character is often caught in events unfolding around him. The story also brings elements such as memory loss and a cross-border situation into the mix, making the film different from a straightforward spy adventure. “There’s the aspect of memory loss and the events that follow, plus the cross-border situation; it’s all very unique and fresh,” he added.
Ayushmann has also built a reputation for choosing unconventional scripts, so naturally, the conversation turned to whether Udta Teer itself represents another risk for him. The actor admitted that taking risks has always been part of his career. “I think I have always been a risk-taker, so I will continue to take risks,” he said. But he made it clear that the title Udta Teer has a much more specific meaning within the film. “Udta Teer is a different thing altogether; you’ll realize what that refers to—and what a specific character or someone else actually did—once you watch the movie,” Ayushmann teased.
When asked if Udta Teer could be compared with other films such as Welcome to Karachi, Ayushmann firmly drew a line between the films. According to him, the upcoming movie operates in a space of its own. “I think you can't compare this movie to any other film because it’s in a genre of its own; for me, I think it’s India’s first patriotic comedy-spy film,” he said. The actor believes the combination of espionage, patriotism and comedy gives the film a distinct identity, adding, “You’ve seen spy movies, but this takes that concept a step further—a film like this has never been made before.”
Ayushmann also credited writer-director Aakash Kaushik for coming up with the unusual concept. “That’s exactly what I told Aakash—that this kind of concept is unique; it’s his brainchild. I loved working on it,” the actor said. But perhaps his biggest tease came when he spoke about the sheer number of twists and layers packed into the movie. “When you watch the film, you’ll realize you haven’t seen anything yet, because there are so many layers unfolding every five minutes,” he revealed.
With a trailer that apparently only scratches the surface of the story, Udta Teer is promising audiences much more than a conventional spy comedy. Ayushmann revealed just how difficult it was to condense the film into a trailer: “We actually struggled to cut the trailer—deciding what to include and what to leave out—because what you see is just 20% of the film.” Backed by Dharma Productions and Sikhya Entertainment, the Aakash Kaushik directorial also stars Sara Ali Khan, Rahul Bose, Gulshan Grover, Ram Kapoor, Suhail Nayyar and others. Udta Teer is set to arrive in cinemas on October 8, 2026.