Known for his role in Loveyatri, AAYUSH SHARMA speaks with MUSBA HASHMI about how has his life changed after the film and his upcoming projects
What is keeping you busy these days?
I am working on my next film which is different from Loveyatri. It is an exciting project, full of action and an entirely performance driven film. It will surprise the audience because after Loveyatri, people would expect me to come back in a romantic role but this one will be a complete shocker. Pre-production has started for another film so I am busy with setting up things for that. When I am done for the day, I spend time with my family and son who is growing up fast.
How have things changed for you after Loveyatri?
Things have changed completely. It is an altogether different world and there is a sense of settlement. Before the film was released there was a lot of concern and fear among us that how it will do and how people will react to it. But I got positive responses and people started recognising me by my name. I have started getting more love and affection from the people. Professionally, it has given me the drive to perform better.
Did you go out of your comfort zone?
A lot many times. I am not a dancer. I was an introvert. I barely danced at parties and avoided talking to anyone. I never did theatre in school because I had stage-phobia. Then I learned dancing, I started facing the stage and became an extrovert and now when I see myself here it surprises me a lot.
What preparations did you do to become an actor?
It was a five-year long journey. I watched many movies and did a lot of workshops. I used to practice 11 hours a day and work on my acting skills, diction and expressions. And those five years were required only for one film and now when there is another film, I had to again train and reinvent myself. I keep trying to do something new and achieve something better and I am still learning.
Would you have been placed so well if you did not know Salman Khan?
I don’t think so. I won’t deny that a certain kind of recognition came my way because of him. If I was not attached to him, maybe no one would have noticed the film. Nowadays everyone aims to make a blockbuster, nobody wants to make a flop film. With his name attached to us, it gained eyeballs and gave us the right kind of attention and people knew about the film. It’s a big thing because this is the time when a film releases but people don't even know about it so he has always been an asset for us.
Do you have to work harder to prove yourself?
Yes, I had to and more than anything I had to prove it to myself. I am not content as a performer, I see my work and feel I could have done better. I don't call myself an actor but a student of acting. I am growing and I want to keep exploring my horizon because I don’t want to put myself in a box and say that I am only good at dancing, I want to try my hand at several things and I will keep experimenting and find my way and one day I will say to myself that I am very versatile (laughs).
Do you think as a newcomer you can choose your projects?
God has been kind to me to do that. I take my projects, go through the scripts and understand what I want to because at the end of the day it is my journey — my high, my fall. I don't want to blame any person or position of what happens to me if I am ready to take the credits then I should take blames as well therefore I choose my own projects.
Now when the film is premiering on &pictures, how would it further your career?
I always believe that television has a very wide range and it reaches places where theatres can't. Sometimes people don't want to go to theatres because they are busy but when a film comes on television they make time to watch it. Television penetrates into tier III and tier II cities which is a big market for us. Also the film is very family oriented so those people who missed the film can watch it with their family and have a different perspective of the film altogether. For me, my aim in my first few films is not to make a huge box office collection but to reach maximum hearts.
