Ayushmann Khurrana: Sometimes I feel I am a South Indian trapped in a North Indian’s body

It’s no secret that actor

Ayushmann Khurana

loves doing off-beat movies that speaks of taboos, which the middle class usually likes to brush under the carpet. Be it Vicky Donor, a story of a sought-after sperm donor or Dum Laga Ke Haisha, which talks about body-shaming in our society, Ayushmann in his short but hits-laden career has managed to land roles that are anything but routine. Now, with

Shubh Mangal Saavdhan

, set for release in the coming week, the actor spoke to us about his second
outing with actor Bhumi Pednekar being a “dramedy”, his character in the movie and why he thinks he is a South Indian trapped in the body of a North Indian. Excerpts:

Shubh Mangal Saavdhan is a remake of a Tamil movie. Does the Hindi version too stick to the original plot or has some surprise elements?
This movie is hatke because as it explores the issue of male performance anxiety, which still is a taboo in the Indian society. According to my director, RS Prasanna, it’s not a remake but a re-birth of the plot. Only the main subject is the same and the rest has undergone major changes. The Tamil version was narrated in a Tamil urban-high class milieu, but in Hindi, it unfolds in a middle-class setting.

Considering this is the first time you are working with Prasanna, how was the experience?
I had a great experience. Prasanna is a professional and an executor, who doesn’t let his shoot go behind schedule. With him, everything goes as per plan. I have heard praises about the South Indian industry for its professionalism and he is the embodiment of it. He has beautifully adapted the movie to a North Indian setting, which is just amazing.

Tell us about your character in the film. We have heard it deals with yet another unexplored theme in our society?
I play the character of a BCA graduate named Udit Sharma. He is a simple and innocent man, who is not at all ambitious in life. He is enduring and madly in love with a girl who he wants to marry. The movie is about a couple on the verge of getting hitched and how they tackle the issue of erectile dysfunction. The underlying message of the movie is the need of constant support from partners in such situations. The plot takes a turn when the girl’s family opposes the marriage after getting to know about the guy’s ‘condition’.

How was it work with your Dum Lagake Haisha co-star, Bhumi Pednekar, once again?
Well, it’s my second film with Bhumi and our on-screen chemistry was appreciated by everybody. I think we share a healthy and professional bond off-screen that spills over on reel when we share screen space.
Do you feel this movie will be a path-breaker because of its unconventional theme?
I will call this movie more of a dramedy (a combination of drama and comedy). I don’t know if it’s going to be a ‘path-breaker’ or not but I felt at home while shooting it. The shoot was completed in 45 days; mostly in Delhi and Haridwar and the lingo used in the movie was very familiar to me. We had a lot of fun shooting it.

Tell us about your upcoming projects?
My next will be a yet-to-be-titled thriller with director Sriram Raghavan. Its tag line is ‘Shoot the piano player’. I play a slightly dark character in the movie.

What are your views on Hyderabad? Are you interested in foraying into Tollywood?
I love Hyderabad for its culture, people and food. I frequently visit the city and find it to be a melting point of different cultures. And about my Tollywood aspirations, it might take time. Maybe, I’ll do it if I get some good offers. Though I will have to learn Telugu, that’s okay. I hold the South Indian movie industry in high regard for its professionalism as I can relate to it. In fact, sometimes I feel that I am a South Indian trapped in a North Indian’s body.