MY WIFE IS MY FIRST AND LAST GIRLFRIEND - Ayushmann Khurrana

MY WIFE IS MY FIRST AND LAST GIRLFRIEND

    Ayushmann Khurrana, 28, may not be the conventional good-looking star, but he has come a long way from being the skinny, short boy with braces from Chandigarh. His role in Vicky Donor made him a youth icon for both, his acting and singing. He is more content than ambitious and is beginning to adjust to his new 24x7 schedule. Post the release of his latest film Nautanki Saala, he speaks to Bombay Times about the predictions of his astrologer father, his girlfriend-turned wife Tahira and why he believes his looks will improve with age. Excerpts: 

Let’s talk about your childhood? I was born and brought up in Chandigarh. My dad is a well-known astrologer there and my mom had done an MA in Hindi, so I had an inclination towards Hindi. I studied in an all-boys school, St John’s Boys School, where I did English theatre. We were in a Catholic school and can you imagine we were Sikhs and Punjabis singing carols in school! My dad, P Khurana is an astrologer. He changed the spelling of my name when I was in class VI. That’s where the double ‘n’ and ‘r’ in my name come from. I again went to an all-boys college at Punjab University, where I studied English Literature and Journalism. In my first year of college, I found a theatre group with my seniors and started doing Hindi theatre. Right from the age of five, I have wanted to become an actor even though I was extremely shy initially. My dad always pushed me to be on stage. I am a laidback person and have always been more content than ambitious. I was planning to take a sabbatical after my journalism course to learn how to fight and dance and build my body, so that I could come to Mumbai to become an actor. I was not in a hurry to do anything. But my dad told me, ‘You have to go right now otherwise you will be unemployed for two years.’ My bags were packed and I was thrown out of my place. Normally, people run away from home to become an actor. For me, it was the other way round where my tickets were bought and I was asked to go. While I have never believed in astrology, I have always believed in my dad and I came to Mumbai. 

How did you get into films? I came to Mumbai and started giving auditions. I had no place to stay so I stayed with my friend from Chandigarh in his hostel at KEM hospital as he was studying MBBS. In my final year at college I had won the MTV Roadies Season 2 and was popular amongst the college crowd. I was auditioned for TV serials, but got selected by a radio station in Delhi as an RJ. The next thing I knew I was in MICA training to become an RJ and was the first RJ to be put up on a hoarding in Delhi. I was content as I bought a car and a house. But again, my dad called and said, ‘Beta you cannot do this, go to Mumbai to become an actor.’ I said okay and left everything to again come back to Mumbai. They were auditioning for VJs this time. I got selected and became a VJ for four years. That’s when Shoojit Sircar noticed me. He was looking for a Punjabi person with a youth connect and I did Vicky Donor. 

Did you expect so much appreciation for Vicky Donor? Actually, I don’t expect anything from life also. Life gives me surprises. Even with my dad while I don’t believe in astrology, I believe in him. His predictions for me have been bang on as far as predicting timing for my opportunities are concerned and him telling me what to do when.  

 

How did you meet your wife Tahira Kashyap? We were family friends and I met her at 16. She is my first and last girlfriend and I told her the first day we met that I would marry her. We have been married four years now and have a one-year-old son. While she normally travels with me, she is doing her Ph.D, so she goes to Chandigarh to take her exams. We were together in tuitions and she was the prettiest girl there, whereas I used to come on my small Kinetic Honda with braces on. She used to come in a car and was the most popular girl, while I was just another guy. It’s surreal as I am getting all the attention suddenly now. The only thing that stresses her a lot is that we don’t have enough time for each other. When I was on TV, I would work only 10 days a month and was really laid-back. Working 24 x 7 doesn’t come naturally to me. My wife keeps me grounded always. If my dad gives me ambition and my mom, patience, my wife makes me stable. She is the first one to tell me you can never be an actor as I never looked like one. In fact, she was the first one I confessed to that I want to be an actor. She had laughed. I used to get so nervous in front of her. Even now, if I am performing on stage, she is not there with me as I get conscious. But if I am in the audience receiving an award, she is with me. 

How is Shoojit Sircar to work with? Ever since my servant committed suicide, my wife and I are staying at Shoojit’s home. My servant was with me from Chandigarh and we were attached a lot to him. It was depressing returning back to our house, so we moved in with Shoojit for some time. I am lucky to be associated with him as he is so earthy and real. He is shy and is happy sitting at home watching his actors win awards as against being present at award functions. He is really satisfied and his attitude is superb. He extracts the best out of you. Being a VJ it was difficult for me, as I had to unlearn a lot of stuff. When you are a VJ you are talking to the camera, whereas as an actor you have to ignore the camera. He sent me to his guru NK Sharma to unlearn. He trained me within a month. Even when he is happy with your work he slaps you while telling you that you have done good work. Even now, I quietly send him my scripts to read to take his guidance. NK Sharma is an institution. 

Did you learn acting formally? My dadi was an uneducated Punjabi but I learnt my acting from her. I grew up seeing her mimmick Raj Kapoor and Dilip Kumar and would copy her. At five, I would also mimmick these stars and win prizes at school. She was a true artist and had she been alive today, she would have been proud of me. 

You have always been lucky. Have you ever faced rejections in your life? While I am lucky, I have seen many rejections also. In school, I was skinny and short with braces. I was also short as a kid and used to pray everyday to become just 5 feet 9 inches and I am exactly that today. I was the shortest in the class, even shorter than the girls, so would never get lead roles even though I used to act better. As a kid, I used to feel bad as kids are judgemental. My dad has been a major influence in my life. He would always get me out of my rejected feeling. Looking at him, I live a healthy lifestyle and don’t smoke or drink and have seen a sea change in my personality over time. I was rejected from the Chandigarh rounds of Indian Idol and Zee Cinestars Ki Khoj, but I’m happy that today I have become an actor, even though I am not from the industry.

You are not good-looking in the conventional way. Does that bother you? No, because for me it’s all relative and I know I was far worse when I was a kid. I am objective when it comes to my looks and I can assure you I will become better with age.

Ayushmann Khurrana