If you watch closely, a director’s debut will tell you a lot about who they are, not just as artistes but as people. An Action Hero unveils first-time feature director Anirudh Iyer as an unabashed movie buff through a series of references, meta-comedy, and an earnest study of the film industry. Led by Ayushmann Khurrana, who plays against type to portray an action hero, and Jaideep Ahlawat as a gangster on the quest for revenge, the film serves as a snarky commentary on Bollywood and the people who love and hate it. Before making his debut, Iyer already had a decade’s worth of experience behind the camera, working on films like Tanu Weds Manu and Zero, among others. His audacious debut film leaves both the critics and the audiences raving.
An Action Hero is quite the film to make a debut with. When did the concept come to you?
We started writing this during the lockdown. As an aspiring filmmaker, even when you’re assisting, you keep working on something so that one day, when your turn comes, you have that story. I’ve had five-six stories in my bank, but this one somehow felt more relevant at the time. During the lockdown, I started expanding on it with Neeraj Yadav. I narrated it to Aanand L Rai, and he said it was something he hadn’t heard before. It was a smooth process since I’ve been with the production house for a decade now.
The film comments on fan culture and the Boycott Bollywood trend
This story is from the February 2023 edition of Filmfare.
Start your 7-day Magzter GOLD free trial to access thousands of curated premium stories, and 8,500+ magazines and newspapers.
Already a subscriber ? Sign In
This story is from the February 2023 edition of Filmfare.
Start your 7-day Magzter GOLD free trial to access thousands of curated premium stories, and 8,500+ magazines and newspapers.
Already a subscriber? Sign In
Life As He Knows Wit..
Rajkummar Rao Turns Aside His Reticence To Chat With Anuradha Choudhary About Life, Relationship And Career Choices
What's the good word?
WORDSMITH VARUN GROVER RECENTLY TURNED DIRECTOR WITH ALL INDIA RANK. HE TAKES SUMAN SHARMA THROUGH THE TRANSITION
POETIC JUSTICE
Lyricist RAJ SHEKHAR came under the glare of limelight thanks to his collaboration on Animal. DEVESH SHARMA talks to the reticent wordsmith
A life less ordinary
Veteran Reena Roy takes you through her life and times in an exclusive chat with Farhana Farook
BRAVE NEW WORLD!
ARBAAZ KHAN IS REVELLING IN HIS NEW INNINGS AS A FILM PRODUCER, FINDS TANZIM PARDIWALLA
Man behind the mask
ACE ACTOR DIBYENDU BHATTACHARYA OPENS UP ABOUT HIS LIFE AND CAREER IN A CHAT WITH DEVESH SHARMA
LEGENDS OF THE fog
BARUN SOBTI WAS ONE OF THE BEST THINGS ABOUT THE TAUT POLICE PROCEDURAL KOHRRA. TANISHA BHATTACHARYA TALKS TO THE RETICENT ACTOR ABOUT SAVOURING SWEET SUCCESS AND MORE
EXpress Vourself
KUNAL KEMMU IS MAKING HIS DEBUT AS A DIRECTOR WITH MADGAON EXPRESS. SUMAN SHARMA INTERVIEWS THE ACTOR-TURNED DIRECTOR
Lights, Camera, Reflection...
Harleen Sethi chats with Tanisha Bhattacharya about the quirks and perks of being an actor
Future ready
SHILPA SHETTY'S CAREER GRAPH SEEMS TO BE UPWARDLY MOBILE ONCE MORE. TANISHA BHATTACHARYA CAPTURES THE CHANGES