Being quirky, breaking taboos

Ayushmann Khurrana says he loves doing off-beat films, which have the scope of being entertainers as well

Having played a sperm donor in his debut and a man suffering from erectile dysfunction in another, actor Ayushmann Khurrana wants to own the space of movies which tackle taboo subjects in a quirky manner.

Nothing is ‘safe’

In an interview, the actor said, “I want to own this space. I started like that and I have that in me as an actor. I would love to act in such subjects (like of a sperm donor, erectile dysfunction). It is important to have your own space as an actor,” he said.

The actor said being offbeat and experimenting with new roles is always a good idea as nothing is “safe” in the film industry, and the audience is always looking out for something new. “It’s good to be offbeat. Nothing is safe in this industry, (so it is important) to give something which is odd which is something off-centre, which is unique to the audience this day because they are always looking for something new,” Ayushmann said.

Shifting gears

“At the same time, I have to shift gears like I am doing a thriller film with Sriram Raghavan, it is an exciting genre for me. I am happy in this kind of space and I will continue to choose films that are interesting,” he added.

“I am glad that I’m getting scripts like Badhai

Ho and getting to work for Sriram Raghavan who is a master of thrillers. You need to create a niche for yourself and apne talent se ‘love jatao’ (express love with your talent), that’s when you will shine in life. I ensure to keep working hard and investing on my talent and that’s something everybody who aspires to make their dream come true in life, must do,” said the actor.

Pleasing the audience

Year 2017 turned out to well for Ayushmann with three releases – Meri Pyaari Bindu, Bareilly Ki Barfi and Shubh Mangal Saavdhan – receiving good reviews. The new year too looks promising for the actor with films such as Badhai Ho, Manmarziyaan and a film with Raghavan tentatively titled Shoot The Piano Player.

“You need to see how interesting, engaging and novel a script is before saying ‘yes’ or ‘no’. There are different medium available today to tell stories... In terms of films, you need to show the audience something that they have never experienced before,” he added.

A successful journey

The 34-year-old actor has come a long way from being a contestant on a reality show to an RJ to a VJ, followed by hosting popular television shows. Ayushmann also recently produced his wife Tahira Kashyap’s directorial debut short film Toffee, which highlights the practice of child marriage.

The actor also said he is open to the idea of exploring the digital platform. “I have never thought about it as I am busy with acting in films. But anything that is radical and path-breaking, I would love to be part of it. I would love to act in it, be it as an actor or anchor on web.”

Was there ever a situation when he felt like giving up? “You know I have been rejected a lot of times in the auditions even on reality shows, but then of course, I never thought of giving up. The idea is to keep investing in your talent to shine and succeed in life. Fortunately, this is currently the best era of Indian film industry or music industry because talent is getting promoted in every walks of life. “I guess I was well-prepared as I kept working and investing on my talent as far as my acting and singing was concerned,” said the actor, who is also a singer.