Ayushmann Khurrana's name never came to mind: Sriram Raghavan

Sriram Raghavan and Ayushmann Khurrana

Roping in Ayushmann Khurrana to play the role of a blind pianist in AndhaDhun may have seemed as unusual to director Sriram Raghavan as is did to cinephiles when news of this casting hit headlines.

Raghavan tells mid-day that Khurrana was "quite opposite" to the image he held of his leading man. "I was thinking of various names and faces, but his name never came to my mind until he said he wanted to audition for the part. I asked him if he could play the piano, to which he said that while he knew [how to play] the guitar, he would learn the piano for the film. That enthusiasm, coupled with the fact that he is a musician, and so, in sync with the character, was an advantage."

In order to slip into the part of a visually impaired person, a fair share of prep work began at home for the actor. "I read about the things that Al Pacino did to slip into the role of a visually impaired [in Scent Of A Woman], and used some of those tricks. I told Ayushmann to practise playing the part at home by waking up, wearing an eye mask, and then going about his day. Even though he would be familiar with [the interiors] of his house, it's natural for anyone to lose confidence when the eyes are forced shut. On set, I'd tell him to eat omelettes when blindfolded, so he could be part of exercises like judging the spices in it, or finding the water jug on the table."

One to catch the audience off-guard with his unusual climax sequences, Raghavan insists that this film will be no different. "You will be clear about what happened, but, the person seated next to you may have an entirely different perception of what occurred."

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