Ayushmann Khurrana is the current heartthrob of the nation, flaunting his muscles. BFH‘s managing editor Sourendra Das met Ayushmann at the Oberoi Grand to chew the fat about his style mantra and fitness regime.
You live in the Tinseltown of India, has your fashion sense augmented over the years?
I am a film star and when I started my acting career, I took it relatively easy regarding fashion. But now, after chandigarh kare aashiqui, I need to take fashion and fitness a bit zealously. The audience wants us to look different on the red carpets, movie premiers and fashion shows; they all expect novelty from actors. I want to tell the youth of the country not to go overboard and just be yourself, carry your attitude and always wear a smile – that is the imperative accessory to look uber-chic at all times.
You have enthralled the audience exceedingly in your last film; what’s your fitness regime?
I am a compulsive jogger, and I can jog any time of the day since it gives my body the strength and fitness it requires. I do intense workouts in the gym 4 to 5 times a week, and each session lasts for about an hour or two. For the remaining days, I ardently focus on rest and muscle recovery. For building muscle mass, I rely primarily on natural sources of protein shakes and usually stay away from supplements. I eat 5-6 meals a day that includes healthy veggies and fruits as I turned vegan in 2019.
How is your journey from being an RJ, VJ and now one of the leading actors of B-Town?
I had a long journey from Chandigarh, and then my Rj-ing days in Delhi to finally making it big in Mumbai. I first gained prominence when I won the second season of Roadies while I was still in college studying English literature. I worked as a radio jockey before arriving in Mumbai for anchoring gigs on TV. I did struggle when I first relocated to Mumbai and lived in a simple boy’s hostel with my cook just because of my love for good food. Vicky Donor was my debut film that received great reviews from the audience and critics. Since then, life has been a series of good movies that got me so much love from my audiences.
What has been your success mantra, not just to survive but to thrive in your career?
I’ve got eight hit films, and choosing the right scripts worked well. Due to date issues, I had to let go of many big-budget films like Lust Stories to Hungama 2. I prefer doing one or two good films a year to maintain the quality rather than taking up 8-10 projects. I interact with everyone on the sets to ensure I’m egalitarian. I want to give my audience quality content which is through-provoking yet entertaining. I emphasise quality over quantity, which is my success mantra & message to today’s youth.