It was his wife Katrina Kaif’s birthday. Vicky Kaushal seemed to be in a tearing hurry, while also tackling a bunch of girls screaming out his name from the audience. Twelve years ago, the Uri star would not have dreamed of such a day, when the failure of one audition led to the other and even a 15-second ad was an unfulfilled dream.

Fast forward to 2024, Kaushal has been fortuitous – from marrying a top Bollywood heroine, to winning applause for his role in Sam Bahadur. The most recent one Bad Newz is being talked about as ‘controversial’. “Don’t judge the film by the trailer in three minutes; let the movie do the talking. It has everything – drama, emotions, and the understanding of ethics and morality. There is humor and fine detailing which you will enjoy,” says Kaushal.

Bad Newz, by Dharma Productions, and directed by Anand Tiwari, is based on a true story (heteropaternal superfecundation in medical terminology). Kaushal feels it is a laugh riot.

On a rainy morning in Delhi, his busy schedule was set to see him traverse three cities in two days, attend the Ambani wedding, dance with Shah Rukh Khan to Chaiyya Chaiyya, do movie promotions, and then fly to the U.K. to be with Kat. Despite the pressure, he seemed perky. “This film was different; it is a comedy, no violence or action; you enjoy popcorn and watch it with friends,” says Kaushal, while making reels on his phone for Instagram.

Dressed in monochromes, he counters accusations about the film being criticized for its theme. But the bearded star knows how to work a crowd in his favour. “Watch it, then judge. Right now the only thought on my mind is to be with my wife. We have such uneven schedules that we rarely spend quality time together,” he says.

Talk of fatherhood, he says, “There is no good news now; when there is, I will share. Plus, there is a line from the film that says, ‘don’t get personal’.”

He is intelligent enough to observe that the audience decides whether he is a “zero or hero”, and went on to admit that his wife is a part of the trailer of Bad Newz. “When I told Katrina, she wasn’t interested in being mentioned, but gave me a long speech about what she liked, and disliked in the film,” laughs Kaushal.

Afterall, according to Kroll Celebrity Valuation Report, Katrina Kaif’s brand value is $27.1 million. Her opinion does matter!

What has made Kaushal an overnight sensation is the song,Tauba Tauba, composed, written, and sung by Karan Aujla, and choreographed by Bosco Martis and Caesar Gonsalves. Kaushal learnt the moves in three days, perhaps with help from his dancer-wife.

“When the god of dance, Hrithik Roshan, complimented me, I felt like I had won an Oscar,” says Kaushal, adding that a number of reels have been made on the song, which is a hit now. The film will do well and producers will earn profits. “Hrithik is an inspiration,” he adds.

Bosco, he confesses, worked really hard with him to get the steps right, so he managed to groove on the lyrics with one hand in his pocket. “The song has been taken over by the audience now – it’s theirs. It has its own identity,” Kaushal smiles.

Kaushal likes to experiment with various genres, and considers himself fortunate – he can do different films with varied directors. “I have always had this hunger. I love drama and action, but when you do comedy, you acquire confidence. I have admired Akshay Kumar, Govinda and Diljit Dosanjh, who have perfect comic timing. I loved David Dhawan films like Deewana Mastana,” he admits, adding he grew up watching these, and will keep trying this genre, if the audience gives him a thumbs-up.

When he heard the narration, it was a “tauba tauba moment”, and Bad Newz is the fourth film with Dharma. “When you work with people you know, there is no formality, just familiarity, no ice breaking is required. I felt no Monday blues – it was good energy all around,” says Kaushal.

The journey to stardom has been surreal; it seems like he is still dreaming, says Kaushal, who began as an assistant director. “A decade ago, I would say I would throw a party if I got an ad film. God has been kind. I never could imagine I would be a star. For me, this is just the beginning.”

Bosco sent Kaushal a screenshot of a paralysed boy, who smiled once on seeing the song. “This is my real earning; I could bring happiness to someone,” he says, adding, “Magic is in these moments.”

What is endearing about Kaushal is his humility, despite the soaring popularity. “People behind the scenes make us look good in front of the camera; they build us. The almost 300 people who are involved in the making of a movie matter – from spot boys to background dancers et al,” he says, adding “they all come early and leave late. A film is a team effort, it takes an army to make one.” – Asmita is the Lifestyle Editor of NRI Focus. She is an award winning journalist who has been writing on fashion for the last 32 years