I donated sperms in 2004: Ayushman Khurana

Vicky Donor - Theatrical Trailer

Ayushman Khurana on his love life, and that time when he actually donated sperm... 

You are a typical case of the small town boy moving to the big city to be in the movies. What was plan B, in case all this didn't work out?

I started as a radio presenter in Delhi. Before that, I did theatre in Chandigarh. Basically, for me, it was anything related to the performing arts. Or maybe a journalist like you; I've studied journalism, so probably something to do with mass communication even.

What was it like before you hit the big city and came into the limelight? You know, I was always in the limelight (laughs). 

That's very humble...

(Laughs) Chandigarh is a small town yaar. Everyone knows everyone. I was always active in theatre, I was the co-curricular caption of the school, I made these theatre groups in Chandigarh called 'Aaghaz' and 'Panchtantra' - the only surviving youth theatre in Chandigarh. I used to know everybody and everybody knew me. I played under-19 district level cricket also. I had this little celeb kind of feeling even in school.

How do people back home react to you becoming famous?

Nobody expected it. I think I was the underdog. I was that silent kid in class. And nobody, not even I, ever even thought that I'd become a VJ. Though I was very active in theatre, music, dance - but a VJ? I don't know - I though I was too earthy and simple to do something like that. But then, maybe that's my USP.

Have you heard of "Rowdies"? (The spoof of " Roadies", a show anchored by Ayushman, on the internet)

Of course! It's funny, so very cool. In fact, I was thinking of doing a spoof myself. I was telling the channel heads about this much before "Rowdies" came into the picture - I was like, 'Let's do a spoof on "Roadies", it'll be really hilarious'. And I also said 'Let's do it before somebody else does'. But unhone pehle kar diya yaar.

You write poetry as well. That's a little romantic, in a way, very far from what one would expect from a VJ...

I've done public speaking in Hindi in college. I was in a convent school and did English Honours. But my mom speaks in Hindi and my Hindi is also very good. I love Hindi, and I love literature. So I used to write in school and college and some I wrote very recently also. I had all the manuscripts, ab pata nahi kahaan chali gayi hain. My recent ones are "Hawa", and "Manushya Khagol".

Finally, we never hear about your love life/married life.

Nobody ever asks me about this - I am actually married. I met her 12 years back - she was a family friend in Chandigarh. We studied Journalism together too. She is now an author and a lecturer. She was teaching in Bombay earlier and is now writing a book so she's in Chandigarh. I've been seeing her for the past 11 years. I was in an all-boys school and then an all-boys college, so the first girl I got attracted to, I married her (laughs).

What made you do an unconventional movie like Vicky Donor?

I waited for four years for the right kind of film because the kind of film you do is very important. You can just be yourself on television, do buffoonery; but films, you have to be slightly intelligent, you have to think before choosing the subject, script and director. Sperm donation is very common in India, but people don't talk about it. It's high time now, it's 2012 - people should talk about it and be comfortable with the subject.

How did your parents react to you doing this sort of a film?

They are actually very proud. I donated sperms in 2004. So that makes me an authentic sperm donor. My mom hadn't even heard about it; she's a very simple lady. My dad explained her everything. I think they love the fact that their son is an alpha male of sorts.