Raaj Shaandilyaa said Ayushmann Khurrana was his first and only choice for his directorial debut film "Dream Girl".
The director said the National Award-winning actor gave his nod to the project immediately after the first narration.
"While writing only we had thought of him for 'Dream Girl'. 'Badhaai Ho' and 'Aandhadhun' had not released when I had sent a message to Ayushmann, asking for narration. He heard it and said yes immediately," Shaandilyaa told PTI.
The director, who has worked with comedian Kapil Sharma on his show "Comedy Nights with Kapil", said he always wanted to make an entertaining film.
"I do feel the pressure as it is my first film as a director. My focus is to entertain people. Ayushmann has great comic timing and he is really great at his job and so the pressure is a bit less. But there is some pressure as a writer and director."
"...Then we thought 'Dream Girl' is the apt title, it goes well with the story. The only relation between the title of the film and Hema Malini ji, who is known as a 'Dream Girl' is that we have shot it in Mathura, which is her constituency."
"Every director has a different way of telling a story -- serious or comical -- and both have its own set of challenges. With light-hearted films, one has to be all the more careful while highlighting an issue."