By his own admission, Hawaizaada is the most challenging role Ayushmann Khurrana has played till date. The actor-singer who has been known for the happy-go-lucky urban characters in his earlier films, will be now seen as Shivaji Bapuji Talpade, a Maharashtrian scholar who is believed to have constructed and flown the world’s first unmanned plane in 1895, eight years before the first flight by Wright brothers.
Ayushmann says, “Very little is known about Shivaji Bapuji Talpade, some believe it was a conspiracy theory and because of the domination of the Britishers the news of his achievement could not get out.” However, the absence of a concrete reference point helped first-time director Vibhu Puri, who had earlier assisted Sanjay Leela Bhansali in Saawariya and Guzaarish, to build a beautiful make-believe world around the life of a man, who wanted to fly.
For more than 25 per cent of the film, Ayushmann is suspended several feet above the ground and he says that this very exercise managed to reduce his fear of heights. “It took us 20 takes to get one of the flight shots right. The first four times, I was terrified to let go. But then I started enjoying it,” he says. Although Ayushmann didn’t have to research much, he learnt Marathi for his character and studied the mannerisms of people prevalent in the 1980s to get his body language right. At times, he even helped his director get the most out of the scenes.
“Since I have been a radio presenter, I know that brevity is the best way to tell any story. So at times, I helped Vibhu in cutting down longer dialogues to have maximum impact,” he says. At 30, Ayushmann is one of the youngest dads in the industry. And even though his daughter was born last year, he has managed to continue with his films and other engagements.
“My family still lives in Chandigarh and although I am the father of two children, I have just started finding my own space in the industry. I live out of a suitcase most of the time but I plan on getting my wife and children to Mumbai sometime soon,” he says.
