Aayush Sharma’s latest film Ruslaan — in which the actor, who is superstar Salman Khan’s brother-in-law, plays the titular role — releases in cinemas today. Earlier this week, Aayush was in Calcutta to promote what he describes as an “action film driven by emotion”. t2 met the articulate and soft-spoken Aayush in his suite at ITC Royal Bengal for a freewheeling chat.

You have been touring the country extensively to promote Ruslaan. What’s the pre-release vibe been like?

I enjoy promoting my films. Many of us lead boxed-in lives in Mumbai. We are either hanging out with friends and family or with film people. Many don’t know the ground reality. I don’t believe in social media being a barometer of ground reality. I think social media is a digital illusion.

I believe when you go out there and meet people, you get a sense as an actor as to how you are tracking (in terms of popularity). During a film’s trailer launch, everyone says good things. But when you play it for the people out there, you get a sense of exactly what point they like, what point they don’t like, which part they are interested in, which part they are not interested in.

It also helps me connect. I visited 26 cities to promote my debut film Loveyatri. That taught me a lot about India because every day, we would wake up in a certain city and go to sleep in a different city. The language, food, thought process and even the taste in cinema changes from one place to the next. When I travel, I get an essence of what India is, not what is the projected side of India.

As an actor, I like to be rooted. I like travelling, being with people and experiencing different thought processes. Because of my political lineage (Aayush’s family has been involved in politics for decades), I like to do what they call door-to-door promotions. You can’t expect people to come to the theatre till the time you go to them.

Do these observations and experiences subliminally help you when you are choosing a script?

They do. I don’t call myself an actor... I am an entertainer. I believe in delivering what people like to see. India is a country of diverse likes and dislikes. Many actors think that if people in Bandra, Juhu and Andheri like your film, then you have done a great job. They don’t know what Indian audiences want.

With Ruslaan, I have chosen a popular subject and we have tried to tell a story that has family values. I like making films that the whole family can sit and watch together without any discomfort.

What is it about Ruslaan that spoke to you?

The story and my character... a man who is in pursuit of his identity. It is an action film but is primarily driven by emotion. It is inspired by a true character but the story is fictional. Ruslaan has a lot of twists and turns. There is a geopolitical angle in the film which is relevant today. The antagonist is new-age. We are talking about what India is facing right now. It is the journey of my character... a boy who ends up becoming a lion, and hence the name ‘Ruslaan’.

Your action role in your 2021 film Antim attempted to change your chocolate boy image. Is Ruslaan an extension of that?

I have always been a fan of the action genre. But my character Rahuliya in Antim was very different from Ruslaan. That was more raw and gritty and real. This is more fictional and stylised.

Antim was not entertainment per se. Ruslaan is a typical Bollywood masala film... the slow motion, the entry, the songs, the dancing. Ruslaan is a thali of comedy, romance, emotion, action and patriotism. It is a step up from what I have done in the past — it is not an all-out romantic film like Loveyatri and it is not grim like Antim. It is a paisa-vasool film.

What are your biggest takeaways from the Ruslaan experience?

It has taught me to be selfless. I always say that actors are megalomaniacs. We are constantly looking at ourselves and wondering whether we are the centre of attention or not.

This movie gave me the experience of working with a team. This was my first time working outside my home production (Salman Khan Films). Ruslaan didn’t have the high budget that my previous films did. I was involved in everything — production, direction, budgeting, scheduling and editing. Ruslaan was a film school for me. It was intimidating at first that every decision had to be routed through me. I was not just an actor on set, I was part of the creative process.

About 200 people have given their heart and soul to the film. I want this film to do well because I don’t want them to be disheartened. That includes stuntmen and dancers who have worked in temperatures as low as minus six degrees and then in scorching heat. Everyone has worked day and night because this is a story we have all wanted to tell. It is more than a movie for all of us.

There was no insecurity about not being backed by Salman Khan this time?

There was no insecurity but I was intimidated. I was working with new people in a new setup with a new set of production values. I was scared about whether I would be able to deliver.

I felt a huge sense of responsibility that my producer had put faith and money on me. Today, the industry is not doing well. So for anyone to put any kind of faith on anyone is a big deal. After I stopped being intimidated, my wings came out... I found myself as a human being. After doing this film, I can confidently say that I can face any obstacle... I am mentally, physically, emotionally ready for it.

Today, I know what cinema I want to represent and what kind of teams I want to work with. I feel that I know how to make a film. I can do more than just act.

Everyone has different theories as to why most Bollywood films are not working at the box office. What is yours?

I believe that we are not understanding the pulse of the audience. If one kind of film becomes a blockbuster, 10 films will be made that replicate the same template.

As an industry, we are no longer making films... we are making projects. Unfortunately, Bollywood has become too much of a studio-based system where a script is tampered with depending on the budget.

There is no point blaming the audience... we are not making good films. When there has been a good film, the audience has lapped it up.

I am hearing that action is the flavour of the season. But this year, major action films haven’t worked. Crew did great numbers despite a section of people asking: ‘Who will watch three women on screen?’ Yami’s film (Article 370) is a hit. People have asked: ‘Who will go to watch a Vikrant Massey film in theatres?’ But 12th Fail has emerged as a case study. Shaitaan was not even heavily promoted and its success negated the notion that films that take place in a confined space don’t work with Hindi film audiences.

Apart from these films, the problem is that we are not reinventing ourselves. Our films are not providing wholesome entertainment. We are so obsessed with trying to be international that we are losing our originality. There is constantly the conversation that let us make good content. But what is good content? I feel that a film that people like to watch is good content. It might be a commercial film, an indie film or even a documentary.

For me, a film that has dance, songs and masala is a typical Bollywood film. But why does a section of the industry look down upon that kind of cinema? We are trying to impress a certain kind of audience while we are losing out on understanding what the masses want.

Do you think you will end up directing a film someday?

I would love to produce a film. I don’t think I can direct one soon because I still have a lot to learn. I enjoy the process of filmmaking. I don’t read scripts. I like to be present when the script is being written because I want to gauge what the writer is thinking.

I have had a very slow run. I take too much time between my films. After Ruslaan, I will go into hibernation for six months. So while I am hibernating as an actor, I would like to be involved as a producer and keep making films.

What kind of films do you want Bollywood to make? Tell
t2@abp.in