‘I BEGAN READING AT AN EARLY AGE’

On World Book Day, here’s a sneak peek into actor Ayushmann Khurrana’s reading habits and his library

The famous poet and philosopher Ralph Waldo Emerson rightly said that a man is known by the books he reads, and history is proof that a person’s reading preferences indeed lend an insight into their personality, influences and beliefs. So when you glance through actor Ayushmann Khuranna’s library, you can clearly tell that his is the soul of an artist. The budding poet and self-confessed bibliophile, says, “I read three books at a time. It’s like watching a web series. I have bookmarks everywhere in my house. In fact, I’ve used all my boarding passes as bookmarks. One day I will auction them (laughs).”

Currently, the actor is working through the Upanishads, a collection of ancient Sanskrit philosophical and religious texts. He says that religious texts can be hard to read, but the reward is worth the effort. “The Bhagavad Gita, the Vedas or the Upanishad: these may not be easy reads. But a contemporary writer like Eknath Easwaran makes it consumable for the current generation. I believe that every religious text needs to be altered with changing times. Certain aspects could become regressive. One should have an open mind to read all kinds of books — even from the western world or Buddhism. I carry a pocket-sized Gita with me. Whenever you are confused, you can open any page in the book and you will find answers. It’s miraculous,” he says.

EARLY INFLUENCES

Ayushmann’s love for books grew from Hindi poetries, which he read as part of his curriculum in school. The actor’s subsequent literary explorations led him to Harivansh Rai Bachchan and Ramdhari Singh Dinkar’s works, which he loved, and he later found that authors Munshi Premchand and Manto’s literary pieces appealed to him as well. “I was exposed to Hindi literature at an early age. I was more interested in Indian languages; mostly Hindi and Punjabi. My mother is an MA in Hindi literature and poetry, so she has been an influence.”

As far as English literature is concerned, he prefers nonfiction over fiction. A Train to Pakistan by Khushwant Singh was his first English novel, besides The Merchant of Venice, which was part of his curriculum. “I was intrigued by the partition, since my family also came from western Punjab, part of India then,” says Ayushmann.

FAVOURITE PICKS

The actor finds it tough to pick a favourite book or author, but he does reveal that history has always fascinated him. “The Last Mughal by William Dalrymple is one of my favourite books. Dalrymple has a knack for writing nonfiction, and he’s one of the few authors who can write history in a palatable manner. In The Last Mughal, Bahadur Shah Zafar was the last Mughal, and that was when Mirza Ghalib was part of his court. I am a lover of shayari, so Ghalib was also an impetus to read the book,” says Ayushmann.

His other favourites include Munshi Premchand and Elif Shafak. The actor says that Shafak’s The Forty Rules of Love left a lasting impact on him. “It’s not just about love, but how Jalal ad-Din Muhammad Rumi became the famous poet, Rumi. He was a molana, and then he became spiritually inclined. This book changes your perspective of life. In fact, I know all of Rumi’s quotes by heart.”

I read three books at a time. It’s like watching a web series. I have bookmarks everywhere in my house. In fact, I’ve used all my boarding passes as bookmarks. One day I will auction them. AYUSHMANN KHURRANA, ACTOR