‘Tere Ishk Mein Has Delhi Like You’ve Never Seen’: Priyanshu Painyuli On Playing Dhanush’s Best Friend | Exclusive | Bollywood News
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Priyanshu Painyuli reveals why Tere Ishk Mein with Dhanush and Kriti Sanon is darker, more intense and very different from Raanjhanaa.
Priyanshu Painyuli dives into the emotional intensity of Aanand L. Rai’s Tere Ishk Mein, his dynamic with Dhanush and Kriti Sanon, the film’s depiction of toxic love, and why the story feels radically different from Raanjhanaa.
At the 9th session of Uttarakhand Cinemascape, actor-filmmaker Priyanshu Painyuli found himself reflecting on the landscapes, clichés and cinematic possibilities of his home state. In an exclusive conversation with News18 Showsha, he opened up about what filmmakers keep getting wrong about Uttarakhand, what feels refreshingly new about Aanand L. Rai’s Tere Ishq Mein, his dynamic equation with Dhanush and Kriti Sanon, the emotional extremes he had to perform, and the deeply personal journey behind his own directorial debut Jaagar.
“Rishikesh has been shot so many times” —Priyanshu On The clichés Filmmakers Must Break
When asked about the biggest cliché around filming Uttarakhand, Priyanshu didn’t hesitate.
“The most common… everybody has gone there to shoot Rishikesh. If you see Laxman Jhula, songs have been shot. Rishikesh has been shot so many times. Babas have been shot in Haridwar. That hotel has been shot so many times.”
He pointed out that filmmakers rarely move beyond the usual spots.
Recalling a recent recce, he said, “When I went to Harshal — which is a difficult drive, but the most beautiful drive — you see locations you haven’t seen in India otherwise. We should explore these places.”
For him, Uttarakhand is an untapped reservoir of distinct terrains, “Uttarakhand’s landscape keeps changing. Every 30 km you can see different ranges… Japanese trees, pink cherry blossoms, red foxes roaming. There’s a lot to explore.”
Internationally, audiences remain unaware of the state’s vast visual palette, “The visuals have gone outside and they said, ‘Oh shit, this is India?’”
On Joining Aanand L. Rai’s Tere Ishk Mein: “This team was a dream for me”
Priyanshu describes his casting in Tere Ishk Mein as surreal, especially given the core team — Dhanush, Aanand L. Rai, Himanshu Sharma, and A.R. Rahman.
“It was amazing because I have been a big fan of Aanand sir, Himanshu Sharma, Rahman sir… Dhanush, oh my God! I have grown up in Bangalore, I’ve seen all his films like Adukalam.
Prakash Raj is also in the film… I’m a big fan.”
What felt new about the film?
“This time… you should see the way he has depicted Delhi and the Delhi characters — a Tamilian staying in Delhi and how he is a goon in a Delhi college. Me and Dhanush are playing best friends.”
The film, he said, explores how toxicity in love escalates.
“How the toxicity of a love story can go to a certain extreme… that is very different from Raanjhanaa.”
His Character: A Witness To Love, Violence And Transformation
Priyanshu describes himself as the observer in the central love story between Dhanush and Kriti.
“I am more a viewer of the love story… and I watch my best friend change — from being a violent man to a non-violent man. Which is what happens when you fall in love.”
The arc reminded him of familiar archetypes, but with a twist, “You are someone like Mohammed Zeeshan Ayyub from Raanjhanaa?”
“Yeah, but very different palettes.”
On Working With Dhanush and Kriti Sanon: “He will do something small — and it impacts you”
Priyanshu says Dhanush was nothing like the intimidating star he imagined.
“He is very easy. He’ll just sit, relax, and come on the shot… he will do something very small, and on the monitor you’re like — my God, that is impacting.”
He admired Dhanush’s technical brilliance, “He knows lenses. He knows how much to give emotionally. Not too many rehearsals required. He’s instinctively correct.”
Kriti Sanon, he said, was equally impressive, “She is beautiful, humble, hardworking… one of the finest we have in Bollywood right now. Both of them make you so easy. You blend into the scene.”
Aanand L. Rai Pushed Him To Emotional Extremes
Aanand L. Rai’s films are known for their emotional intensity, and Tere Ishq Mein was no different.
“I have a couple of scenes where I have gone outburst with emotions. There is a drunk scene with Dhanush… when I shout, I shout from the core, from the heart.”
On Filming In The Hills: “Policies must make life easier for storytellers”
Asked about the challenges of shooting in Himalayan regions, he emphasised infrastructure and local cooperation.
“Uttarakhand has great policies… it’s easy to get permissions, everything is online. Half of the job gets done by line producers. Then you can focus on craft.”
He stressed the importance of sustainability: “Crew should not spoil the nature. If we’re shooting in someone’s house, let’s not leave it dirty.”
Priyanshu The Director: The Personal Journey Of Jaagar
The actor’s long-standing dream of directing films finally found shape in Jagar, based on the traditional Uttarakhand ritual of calling upon local deities.
“This story was very personal since my college days. Jaagar means Jagna… awakening. The film is about a girl shooting a documentary on Jaagar but actually awakening herself.”
Nature plays a philosophical role, “They say if you go to the mountains, you reflect upon your life. That’s what I’ve shown.”
Jaagar features Uttarakhand’s local actors and languages. His wife Vandana Joshi plays the protagonist, alongside Garhwali actor Srishti Rawat.
Supported by industry heavyweights
“Aarti Bajaj is part of it. Deepa Motwane loved it. Kunal Sharma is doing the sound design. Mark Marder — a 65-year-old French composer — is composing the OST.
It all comes together as a global film.”
Festival journey ahead
“We are submitting it to Berlin, St. Lands, and other A-list festivals. I hope we get selected.”
What’s Next: Paan Parda Zarda, Tere Ishk Mein, And More
Priyanshu confirmed that Paan Parda Zarda is nearly ready, “We’ve finished the sound. Big shows take time… hopefully next year it will come out.”
He’s also working on an indie film titled Pirates, based on hacking.
On choosing projects
“I’m never blocked with ‘big banners only’. If anybody has a good story, I’m on — even if they pay less. A film is a film. A story is a story.”
He hopes to someday build a filmmaking ecosystem with his wife, “A place where independent filmmakers can come together and make good films and take them around the world.”
Yatamanyu Narain is a Sub-Editor at News18.com with a passion for all things entertainment. Whether he’s breaking the latest Bollywood news or chatting with rising stars in the OTT world, he’s always on the hun…Read More
Yatamanyu Narain is a Sub-Editor at News18.com with a passion for all things entertainment. Whether he’s breaking the latest Bollywood news or chatting with rising stars in the OTT world, he’s always on the hun… Read More
November 22, 2025, 20:58 IST
