In conversation with ETimes, Ayushmann along with co-star Jaideep Ahlawat and the film’s debut director Anirudh Iyer got talking about everything that makes their film different. Check out the interview below:
In the conversation, Ayushmann reveals, “The film is very real. It shows how vulnerable are superstars in this day and age. It’s very topical. There’s a media trial going on. Everyone thinks that when things are going right everything’s hunky dory in their life and nothing can go wrong. There’s a God syndrome attached to being a superstar at times. But fact is, anything can happen in the country. Our film is topical, it’s a story of 2022.”
He further explains the themes of the story and says, “It’s not a classic or conventional action film, it has something very unique to offer. Along with the action there is comedy, dark humour and satire. I feel An Action Hero is a genre-breaker not just for me but for the film industry as well.”
Of late, a lot of senior actors from the film industry like Sanjay Dutt and Suniel Shetty have commented that contemporary actors don’t like to work in two-hero films citing a sense of underlying insecurity. Ayushmann explains that he’s always teamed up with actors playing strong characters. He says, “I’ve never followed trends. Take my first film (Vicky Donor), Anju Kapoor’s character was equally strong. Same was the case with Rajkummar Rao in Bareilly Ki Barfi, with Gajraj Rao in Badhai Ho, with Tabu in Andhadhun. I have worked with actors who have a lot to give to a film and in the end it’s the film that’s a winner. I also take inspiration from Ajay Devgn sir. In a film like Golmaal, most of the punches are with other cast members. It’s always a good policy to keep the film before yourself. Good films are about collaborations not just between the actors, but between the director, technicians and everyone.”
Ayushmann is the modern day superstar and we asked him about the pressures of being one in 2022. Ayushmann confesses that he doesn’t feel any pressure. His co-star Jaideep Ahlawat explains, “The pressure is created due to the people around the star, the entourage. Those people say, ‘Now you behave like this or do this or don’t say this, because you are a star’. But when the star is like paaji (Ayushmann Khurrana) the choice of his films speaks for itself.”
Ayushmann jumps in with some wisdom and says, “An actor simply relives his life on the big screen. Acting is just the sum total of experiences you’ve had in life.”
We ask Anirudh, Ayushmann and Jaideep about their favourite action heroes from Bollywood. Anirudh cites the ever favourite Amitabh Bachchan and even mentions the modern action superhero Tiger Shroff. Ayushmann though explains the reason why Mr Bachchan is an all-time legend. He says, “The way Amitabh Bachchan has done action is amazing. His gait while he runs towards the camera or the bad guys is something else. The way he punches, his entire body moves behind and into the direction of the punch. The way he projects action is simply unreal. He was the first angry young man.”
Ayushmann also has reasons to love Dharmendra and Sunny Deol. He says, “Sunny paaji and Dharamji are the alphas in real life, too. They’re a lot like their on-screen personas.” He’s also a big fan of Ajay Devgn. Referencing his iconic split on two motorcycles, Ayushmann says, “How can you beat Ajay Devgn sir’s entry in his first film Phool Aur Kante?”
Being a star in 2022 is not an easy job. One can get trolled for the most mundane conversations, and Ayushmann explains why he doesn’t feel the pinch of being a Bollywood star. He says, “I started off as a journalist, asking questions to stars and conducting interviews and being on the opposite side. I’ve been an anchor and interviewed actors when they promoted their films. I used to be very irreverent. Even when I was on social media, I used to write whatever that came to my mind. I can’t do that anymore. You have to keep your views personal.”
Elaborating further, he says, “I have always believed that you are an artiste and not an activist. That’s the only difference. Having reached a certain stature, you just need to be cautious with your viewpoints. You don’t have to put everything on social media. I would rather raise issues through my films. I would rather use my work as my voice. Just being out there and making statements on social media makes no sense.”
Another important conversation was about the audiences not being too savvy about Hindi films. We ask Ayushmann is he feels the pressure to deliver hits and he says, “I have always endeavored to give fresh content. I always have boxes to tick like – Has this ever been done in Hindi cinema before? Is it pathbreaking? Is it original? Rest of it depends on the audience on how they reveive the film. I always want to give it my best and make content that is unique. I’ll never be known for a 300 crore film. I’ve always been known for small and mid-budget films. That’s why I can afford to take risks. I’ve never had the pressure.”
