Udta Teer Opens to Split Reviews After Nepal Denies Ayushmann Khurrana, Sara Ali Khan Spy Comedy a Release

Udta Teer, a Hindi spy comedy starring Ayushmann Khurrana and Sara Ali Khan, opened in Indian cinemas on Friday, Oct. 23, 2026. Critics were split on the film, and it reached theatres days after authorities in Nepal refused to allow it to be screened publicly there.

The film is the directorial debut of writer Aakash Kaushik. Its 137-minute running time is listed in reviews by The Hindu and Filmfare. The Hindu reported that the film is produced by Karan Johar and Guneet Monga, whose companies are Dharma Productions and Sikhya Entertainment. According to The Indian Express, the film was first scheduled for Oct. 9 and was pushed back so it could get a cleaner release window.

The premise

Several reviews describe the same basic story. Khurrana plays Bilal Ahmad, a Pakistani agent who has infiltrated an Indian counter-terrorism unit. He loses his memory in an accident and wakes up believing he is Vikrant, a patriotic Indian officer. He then starts working against the people who sent him. Sara Ali Khan plays his wife, Yamini, who works in India's defence establishment, Filmfare reported.

The cast includes Rahul Bose, Ram Kapoor, Gulshan Grover, Suhail Nayyar, Brijendra Kala, Raghubir Yadav and Smita Tambe, according to cast lists published by The Hindu and The Indian Express. The late actor Mukul Dev plays a terrorist leader. The Hindu called the part "his last hurrah," and The Times of India and Filmfare also refer to him as the late Mukul Dev.

At the film's trailer launch, Khurrana was asked about playing a Pakistani spy. Hindustan Times quoted his answer: "It was part of the script. As an actor, you are ready to do anything. This is a spy comedy, a patriotic comedy, and a genre bender."

How critics rated it

Ratings from major Indian outlets ranged from two to three and a half stars. Filmfare gave the film 3.5 out of 5 and called it "a spoof of the espionage genre." Its critic praised Khurrana's comic timing, but wrote that the second half "introduces too many twists and turns" and puts more weight on suspense than on comedy.

The Times of India rated it 3 out of 5. Its reviewer called the first half "entertaining" but said the film later "needlessly switches gears and turns into a serious patriotic drama." The Indian Express gave it 2 stars and called it "a tedious mix of spoof and sentiment which gets into its stride only sporadically."

The Hindu did not give a star rating. Its review said the film "promises to punch above its weight but ultimately settles for low-hanging fruit." The paper said Khurrana "keeps it watchable even when the jokes lose their bite." Filmfare, The Times of India and The Hindu all said Sara Ali Khan has a limited part in the film.

Denied a release in Nepal

Earlier in the week, Nepal's Ministry of Communication and Information Technology wrote to the film's Nepali distributor and denied it permission for public screening, India Today reported. According to the letter, the country's Central Film Censor Board reviewed the film and found that its content fell into a category restricted under the National Cinema (Production, Exhibition and Distribution) Act.

The ministry's letter does not say which scenes or content led to the decision, India Today and India TV reported. Media reports have linked the refusal to the film's India-Pakistan storyline, but the notice does not confirm that this was the reason. India TV said the law allows authorities to refuse films considered harmful to areas including the country's security, its relations with friendly nations and harmony between communities.

The Indian Express cited the Nepali news site Onlinekhabar, which quoted Nepali film writer and critic Samipyaraj Timilsina. He said the board reportedly blocked the film because its story revolves around tensions between India and Pakistan. He also said Nepal has provisions to restrict films that could harm the image of another country.

Opening-day business

On release day, The Indian Express reported that trade tracker Sacnilk recorded Rs 2.59 crore in advance bookings for the opening day. The paper said the film was projected to earn Rs 3 crore to Rs 5 crore net on its first day. Final opening-day figures had not been published at the time of writing.

The film is now playing in theatres in India.