Actor Nanncy Gill played a Counter Terrorist Squad (CTS) agent named Sharon in the Ayushmann Khurrana spy comedy UDTA TEER. The film arrived in theatres on October 23, 2026, and brought Gill a fresh wave of visibility. Instead of chasing every offer that followed, she packed her bags for Cardiff, Wales. She is now pursuing an MA in screen and stage at the Royal Welsh College of Music and Drama. In a new interview, Gill explained why she chose long-term craft over short-term fame, how the film’s action training shaped her, and what she learned from sharing screen space with Khurrana.
From Manali Sets to London Theatres
Udta Teer is a Hindi-language spy comedy directed and written by Aakash Kaushik. The story follows an amnesiac Pakistani spy who wakes up believing he is a patriotic Indian counter-terrorism officer. The film stars Ayushmann Khurrana and Sara Ali Khan in the lead roles, with Rahul Bose, Ram Kapoor, Gulshan Grover, Mukul Dev, Suhail Nayyar, Supriya Pilgaonkar, and Brijendra Kala in supporting parts.
Gill’s character, Sharon, is part of the Counter Terrorist Squad team alongside Khurrana’s character. The role required serious physical preparation. The team shot for 45 days in Manali, and the action sequences were designed by Korean action director Oh Se-Yeong.
Getting the part was not a simple process. Gill was in Dubai when she received the call about the audition. The makers wanted to see more than her acting. “Besides my audition, they wanted to see my fitness and action videos. I put them together with my gym, kalaripayattu, boxing and MMA ones and sent them,” she said. That mix of traditional Indian martial arts and modern combat training helped her stand out.
The physical work did not stop on set. Gill had already spent three months in Greece learning physical theatre, a discipline where performers use body movement and sound instead of words. “I understood that it changed me so much as an actor,” she said. She also trained in boxing, mixed martial arts, and dance to keep improving her craft. “It helped me in Udta Teer,” she added.
Some of her scenes and dialogues did not make the final cut. Gill spoke about this without bitterness. “Of course, some of my scenes and dialogues were cut but the makers are the best judge. But having a presence throughout the film is a big deal and a great experience,” she said. The film’s release brought her messages and appreciation from viewers. “It’s humbling to see people posting stories and appreciation coming my way. After the OTT release, the visibility will be more,” she noted.
A trip to a London theatre gave her a taste of how the film travelled. “Interestingly, I watched it in London, in a theatre, and people were like, ‘Hey, you’re in the film.’ It felt nice,” she recalled.
What Ayushmann Khurrana Was Like on Set
Working with Ayushmann Khurrana left a strong impression on Gill. She described the experience in simple terms: “Shooting with him was really great as he is a very humble person and he makes everyone so comfortable”. The two actors shared the screen as CTS team members, and the 45-day schedule in Manali gave the cast plenty of time together.
Khurrana’s role in Udta Teer is a comic spy caper. His character, Vikrant Thapar (also known as Bilal Ahmad), is a Pakistani spy who loses his memory in India and is mistakenly recruited into Indian counter-intelligence. The film’s premise mixes comedy with espionage, and the ensemble cast includes several well-known names from Hindi cinema.
For Gill, the film was a chance to work inside a big Bollywood production while staying true to her theatre roots. The shoot in Manali and the action training under Oh Se-Yeong gave her material she could carry into future roles.
A Theatre Director First, Actor Always
Long before Udta Teer, Gill was building a name in Mumbai’s theatre scene. She wrote, produced, and directed two plays: House Arrest and Mandi House. Mandi House holds special weight in her career. The play is set in 2030 and centres on Pradeep, a veteran theatre practitioner whose struggling performance space faces the possibility of being converted into a digital content studio. Gill wrote, directed, and performed in the play.
Mandi House travelled from Mumbai to Delhi’s Shri Ram Center, where audiences responded warmly. “After Mumbai, we did Delhi’s Shri Ram Center and people really loved it. I have started getting opportunities here,” Gill said.
The play also earned a place in stART Tank Theatre Edition 1, an initiative by international casting director Tess Joseph and Third Bell Studios. Mandi House was selected among the top 20 projects out of 268 entries from across India. The pitching sessions took place on July 14 and 15, 2026, in Mumbai.
Gill’s theatre background changed how she saw her career. “I’m not only limited to being an actor now. I wrote, produced and directed my own theatre plays and that gave me a different viewpoint,” she said. That viewpoint is central to why she chose to study in the UK rather than stay in India and ride the film’s success.
The UK Decision: Craft Over Cashing In
Udta Teer brought Gill attention in a successful Hindi film. The easy next step would have been to stay in Mumbai and take every offer that came her way. She chose a different path. “After getting attention in a successful film, the obvious thing is to cash in on the moment and look for opportunities in India, which I am getting, but I have a bigger picture in mind,” she told Hindustan Times.
That bigger picture includes finishing her MA at the Royal Welsh College of Music and Drama in Cardiff and returning with stronger skills. “I first want to complete my course and improve my craft and come with full force besides exploring opportunities here. I just wanted to expand my artistic choices,” she said.
The decision was not easy. “Leaving India at a high point of my career was tough but I had to make a hard choice,” she admitted. Her goal is clear: “I don’t just want to be a screen actor. I really love theatre also and I want to be a complete artist. In the direction of my career, I want to be an actor, writer and theatre director, building my career in the UK as well”.
The UK’s theatre culture is a major draw. “In the UK, theatre is big, so opportunities are there where I can bring my Indian roots into play,” she said.
New Projects Across Screen and Stage
Studies have not stopped Gill from working. She shot for a BBC short film two weeks before the interview, calling it an experience-building move. She has also written a new play and submitted it to her college. If approved, she will get the full production support to stage a ticketed play. “Once that happens, I can develop my own,” she said.
A web series she co-wrote and co-directed with a friend is in post-production. “It’s in post-production and may also come out sometime,” she said. She also shot for a series in Dehradun during 2023-24 where she has a prominent part. “That, I am told, will come soon,” she added.
Another project is a series for Goldie Behl’s production house with Sumeet Vyas in the lead. She is also waiting for the release of a series produced by Goldie Behl featuring Sumeet Vyas, as well as a web series she co-wrote and co-directed that is currently in post-production.
Gill’s earlier screen work includes Raisinghani vs Raisinghani (2024), where she played Jia Chatterjee, and Criminal Justice (2019), where she appeared as Naina. She also had a role in the short film Uski Kavya with Namit Das.
Udta Teer’s Release and Where to Watch
Udta Teer released in theatres on October 23, 2026. The film is a Hindi-language spy comedy with a runtime that mixes action, comedy, and espionage. Following its theatrical run, the film is set to premiere on Netflix. Television rights have been acquired by Star Gold. An official OTT release date had not been announced as of late October 2026, though reports suggested a possible December 2026 streaming window.
For global audiences, the film’s theatrical release was followed by its Netflix arrival, making it accessible in the USA, UK, Canada, Australia, India, and other markets where the platform operates.
A Career Built on Training, Not Trends
Gill’s path runs through Chandigarh, Delhi, and Mumbai’s theatre circuit before reaching Cardiff. She began her theatre journey in Chandigarh, worked in Delhi, and spent years as an active part of Mumbai’s theatre community. Her training includes Meisner, Eric Morris, and Stella Adler techniques, along with physical theatre in Greece and movement work in Italy. She is also a Hatha yoga practitioner and trained in Kalaripayattu, the Indian martial art.
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That foundation explains why she talks about acting as one part of a larger creative life. Udta Teer gave her a film credit and a taste of Bollywood visibility. The UK course gives her the space to write, direct, and perform on her own terms. “I want to be a complete artist,” she said. For now, that means splitting her time between Indian cinema and the UK stage, with a clear focus on craft over quick fame.
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