Akash A Kaushik has spent years writing the kind of comedies that thrive on chaos, characters and comic timing. With credits including Bhool Bhulaiyaa 2, Bhool Bhulaiyaa 3 and Housefull 4, he has carved a space for himself as a writer in Bollywood’s mainstream comedy circuit. Now, Udta Teer marks his move from writing those laughs to directing them.

The trailer offers a strong first look at Kaushik’s directorial approach. The film embraces an intentionally quirky premise and builds its humour around situations, misunderstandings and a steadily escalating chain of chaos. Rather than keeping the comedy limited to punchlines, the trailer lets the characters and their circumstances drive much of the humour.

That is perhaps the most interesting part of Kaushik’s transition. His experience as a comedy writer is visible, but Udta Teer also gives him the opportunity to translate that understanding into performance, staging and visual storytelling. The trailer suggests a filmmaker who is comfortable with an ensemble-driven comic world and knows how quickly a simple situation can spiral into madness.

Of course, the real test will come with the full film. But as a directorial debut, Udta Teer already gives Kaushik a chance to take the sensibility he has developed as a writer and put his own stamp on it from behind the camera.

Directed by Akash A Kaushik and starring Ayushmann Khurrana and Sara Ali Khan, Udta Teer is backed by Dharma Productions and Sikhya Entertainment and releases in cinemas on October 9.