'Udta Teer' vs 'Dhurandhar': Aakash A Kaushik says comparisons began during writing; ' We were writing our individual films around the same time'

Aakash A Kaushik has addressed the comparisons between his film 'Udta Teer' and Ranveer Singh's 'Dhurandhar', which have drawn attention from audiences because of their shared espionage backdrop. Both films explore the India-Pakistan conflict through spy stories, although their central characters follow contrasting paths. The filmmaker revealed that he and Aditya Dhar had discussed this difference even before their movies reached theatres.In a chat with India Today, Aakash A Kaushik spoke about his friendship with Aditya Dhar and explained why the comparisons do not bother him. He also shared his admiration for 'Dhurandhar' and clarified that he never considered 'Udta Teer' a reverse version of the other film.Aakash A Kaushik recalls joking with Aditya DharThe filmmaker revealed that both directors were developing their respective spy dramas around the same period. Their conversations about the projects often included jokes about the opposing directions taken by their protagonists.Speaking about his equation with Aditya Dhar, Aakash A Kaushik said, “Aditya is a very dear friend of mine. He’s like my brother. We were writing our individual films around the same time. I used to actually joke with him, saying, ‘Your guy is going there from here, and my guy is coming here from there.’ So, for us, the comparison had existed since then," he said.Filmmaker says comparisons are understandableAakash A Kaushik believes that comparisons are natural when two movies belong to the spy genre. Rather than viewing the discussion as a concern, he said he was comfortable with audiences drawing parallels between the projects.He also spoke positively about Aditya Dhar's work and made it clear that the comparison did not affect his opinion of 'Dhurandhar'. The filmmaker said, “I love Dhurandhar, and I think the comparison is obvious. If there is a spy movie, people will compare it. It’s absolutely okay. They are comparing it with my brother’s film, so I don’t mind that."Aakash A Kaushik rejects the reverse-film theoryThe filmmaker was also asked whether 'Udta Teer' could be viewed as the reverse of 'Dhurandhar'. Aakash A Kaushik dismissed the suggestion, explaining that he understood why viewers had made the connection but had never approached his film with that interpretation.He reiterated that his familiarity with the similarities between the projects went back to their development stages. Responding to the question, he said, “Not at all. I understand where the comparison is coming from. But I have never perceived it that way. As I said, because I’ve known about it from the beginning, I never saw it like that."'Udta Teer' records a Saturday box-office jumpMeanwhile, 'Udta Teer', starring Ayushmann Khurrana and Sara Ali Khan, registered a notable improvement in its second weekend. The film collected Rs 4 cr net in India on Saturday, October 31. This was a 40.4% increase over Friday's Rs 2.85 cr collection.The Saturday performance followed a relatively modest Friday, giving the film a stronger start to its second weekend. Its domestic earnings have now crossed Rs 37 cr in net collections, according to Sacnilk. After nine days of theatrical release, 'Udta Teer' has collected Rs 37.75 cr net in India. The corresponding domestic gross stands at Rs 45.03 cr. Overseas markets have contributed Rs 10.50 cr, taking the film's worldwide gross to Rs 55.53 cr.With Saturday bringing a 40.4% rise, the Sunday performance becomes important for the film's second-weekend total. A further increase could help it maintain the momentum generated by the weekend growth.Get the latest Bollywood & Entertainment News, and more. Download the TOI app.Give your child the gift of confidence! Claim your exclusive TOI Masterclass spot today!