New Delhi: Vicky Donor star Ayushmann Khurana says his boy next door image is what made him popular among the audience and he would like to maintain that throughout his acting career.
The 27-year-old VJ-turned-actor says he believes in being natural and is not willing to project a certain image onscreen even in his upcoming projects.
“I have not drawn any boundaries for myself. I believe in being natural. Even in Vicky Donor, I didn’t think about my profile. I was a clean slate. I adapted the colloquial language of Delhi and understood the jist of the scene. It’s very important to be spontaneous and since I am an anchor I am used to it. My earthiness is my USP,” Ayushmann told PTI. The newcomer in Bollywood says the success of Vicky Donor has changed his life but not overnight because he was already a part of showbiz while working on television.
“The best part is it was a gradual transition from small screen to films. I have been part of TV and I am familiar with the world of showbiz and film stars. That helps me keep my head on my shoulders. I am trying to put baby steps inside Bollywood. I think it’s a continuing beautiful journey. Life has changed but in a happy and accepting way,” he said. Ayushmann says while working on the film, where he plays the role of a sperm donor, he knew the film would garner critical acclaim but the response it has received was unexpected.
“When I signed the film, I thought it will grab a lot of eyeballs and raise a few eyebrows because it is a very unique subject. People went and saw the film because of its quirkiness. I expected critical acclaim and a little bit of commercial success, but this is beyond expectations. It’s the honesty of our effort which the audience have liked.”
Vicky Donor was produced by John Abraham and directed by Shoojit Sircar. Ayushmann has signed another project with them called “Hamara Bajaj” where he will play a struggling actor from Agra.
“Hamara Bajaj will be my third film technically. It’s the story of a struggling small town actor Sanjay Bajaj from Agra who eventually becomes a star. The film will begin in December. I am about to sign my second project, a good film with a good director,” he said. Spontaneity is what comes naturally to Ayushmann and the actor says that its going to help him in his immediate upcoming project — hosting the IIFA Rocks in Singapore on June 8 alongside actress Chitrangada Singh. This would be his first show post Vicky Donor.
“Previously I was not big enough to be on stage at IIFA. I have anchored other shows but this is the biggest. And this will be my first time post Vicky Donor so people must be expecting something out of me. They might be expecting a difference between the pre-film Ayushmann and the post-film one, but I am still the same guy from Chandigarh who had come to Mumbai with dreams in his eyes. I’ll remain that simple.” His performance in the film might fetch him a few nominations in the coming awards season but Ayushmann says he has no aspirations for trophies. “I’m sure I’ll be nominated but a lot of films are coming up and with more debutantes so I’ll be happy to just be a nominee. I don’t expect much, I think life should give you surprises,” he said. (PTI)