Jul 27, 2026 5:40pm IST
Aparshakti Khurana on ‘Gunmaaster G9’: ‘This is My First Full-Blown Hindi Action Film’ (EXCLUSIVE)
Aparshakti Khurana has built a career on refusing to be boxed into a single genre. From scene-stealing turns in commercial entertainers such as "Dangal," "Stree," "Luka Chuppi" and "Pati Patni Aur Woh" to acclaimed performances in projects like "Jubilee" and "Berlin," the actor has consistently moved between comedy and drama. Now, with Aditya Datt's upcoming action thriller "Gunmaaster G9," Khurana is taking on yet another first.
Speaking exclusively to Variety India, the actor reveals that "Gunmaaster G9" marks his first full-blown Hindi action film and his first outing as a full-fledged antagonist. "'Gunmaaster G9,' in honesty, is a very different film. Especially if I talk about my character, it's nothing like what I've done so far. I'm looking forward to showing it to audiences who love full-blown Hindi action films. This is the first time I'm doing action, and this is the first time I'm playing a full-blown antagonist in a Hindi film."
Directed by Aditya Datt, "Gunmaaster G9" stars Emraan Hashmi in the lead, with Genelia Deshmukh and Aparshakti Khurana in pivotal roles. The film revives the iconic "Gunmaster G9" title, originally associated with the spy franchise headlined by Mithun Chakraborty, while reimagining it as a contemporary action entertainer.
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For Khurana, the film is another step in a career shaped by versatility rather than predictability. Despite being widely recognized for his comic timing, the actor says he has always sought opportunities that challenge him creatively.
"I love doing all sorts of things," he says. "I love the way I've been able to show the serious, darker side of the artist and the character as well in this film. At the same time, I've been a part of some of the most successful comedy films in the past one decade, be it 'Dangal,' 'Stree,' 'Luka Chuppi' or 'Pati Patni Aur Woh.' That really makes me happy and content as an artist."
The actor also believes that an artist's journey cannot be measured solely by commercial success. Looking back at his filmography, Khurana says that every project, irrespective of its box office performance, has contributed to his career in meaningful ways. "Be it 'Jubilee,' 'Berlin' or 'Stree,' most of the films I've done have always helped me get more work. Even if a film hasn't worked, it has brought me writers, directors and production houses who said, 'We saw that film and that's why we came to you.' It's not really about successful projects getting you work. Sometimes even an unsuccessful project can also get you work. It's really about what you make out of it."
He adds, "Even if a particular film doesn't land, I try that at least my character has enough truth for people to resonate with it."
With "Gunmaaster G9," Khurana is now set to add action to an already diverse body of work, continuing his pursuit of roles that push him beyond familiar territory while introducing audiences to a side of the actor they have not seen before.
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