Rohan Gupta's video: Sushant Singh Rajput at Space Camp in Huntsville Here for space drama Chanda Mama Door Ke

HUNTSVILLE, Ala. - The U.S. Space and Rocket Center is lending a hand to a project that hopes to be the next big hit movie to come out of the world's biggest and most prolific film industry, Bollywood. "I'll be the Neil Armstrong of India," joked Sushant Singh Rajput, star actor who is here researching for his part in the upcoming Bollywood space drama, "Chanda Mama Door Ke." In the movie, which is set to be released in January 2018, Singh's character becomes the first Indian to walk on the moon. Singh said production is still in the early stages. "Everything comes later," Singh said. "The video effects come later. The narrative comes later. The most important thing right now, is that as an actor, in my head, I need to convince myself that I'm an astronaut." Singh is an icon in India. He stars in about one major film per year there, and has accumulated millions of followers across most major social media platforms. As he met with us Thursday in Huntsville, thousands back in India were reacting to an Instagram photo showing Singh holding a woman's hand. It was later learned that hand belongs to Indian actress Kriti Sanon, leading to speculation about the two's relationship, much like the attention and excitement American celebrities generate. Today, however, Singh is the excited one. He came straight from the airport to the USSRC, bypassing his hotel. "I landed, and I came here. I was so excited," Singh said laughing. Singh, an engineer by trade, wanted to be an astronaut growing up. This background, he believes, makes him a perfect fit for this movie and this training. "So the moment they tell me, 'Okay, this is a centrifuge, and this is how it works,' I have the backup knowledge to understand what they're trying to say," Singh said. Singh sees this visit as part of his process as a method actor. The budget for "Chanda Mama Door Ke" is small compared to those of the movies that inspired this one, according to Singh. He feels he, two other Bollywood A-listers, and the background gained from this kind of training are going to make up for that. "We want to instill the same emotion," Singh said, "and instill the same kind of experience as you probably get to see in films like Gravity and Interstellar."