Ayushmann Khurrana’s life could easily pass for a Bollywood screenplay — one where perseverance meets passion, and dreams truly come full circle. Fresh off the success of Thamma, where he plays the haunting Betaal in the MHCU universe, the versatile actor is basking in critical acclaim for yet another transformative performance. Yet, even amid the applause, Ayushmann remains grounded — the same small-town boy who once stood on a Mumbai street, gazing at a film hoarding and daring to dream.
In an interview with Pinkvilla, the Thamma star revisited his early struggles — the rejections, the long years of hustling, and the quiet confidence that kept him going. Before Vicky Donor made him an overnight sensation in 2012, Ayushmann had already spent years building his foundation in radio and television. “I was doing youth shows and working in radio, but films were always the dream,” he recalled. “When I look back, I’m grateful that things happened when they were meant to.”
That dream was born in the streets of Mumbai, where every day after his gym sessions in Andheri, he would pause beneath a massive Om Shanti Om billboard featuring Shah Rukh Khan, his ultimate inspiration. “Every day, I’d look up and tell myself, ‘One day, I want to be on that hoarding too,’” he shared. Five years later, destiny answered. When Vicky Donor released, a poster for the film appeared in the exact same spot. “Aur jab Vicky Donor release hui, usi jagah par Vicky Donor ka poster laga hua tha,” Ayushmann said. “Main uske niche khada tha, aur bas ro raha tha — ki ye sach mein ho sakta hai?”
Asked whether Shah Rukh Khan continues to inspire him, Ayushmann didn’t hesitate. “Absolutely. He made people like us believe that middle-class boys with big dreams could belong in cinema,” he said, his admiration evident.
It’s a sentiment shared by fans worldwide — from John Cena and Will Smith to Hugh Jackman — all of whom have publicly praised SRK’s charisma and influence. As Shah Rukh readies for Siddharth Anand’s upcoming action spectacle King, co-starring Suhana Khan, Deepika Padukone, and Abhishek Bachchan, Ayushmann too is gearing up for a busy 2026 with Pati Patni Aur Woh 2, an untitled Dharma–Sikhya film, and Sooraj Barjatya’s next family drama.
For a boy who once cried beneath a hoarding in disbelief, Ayushmann Khurrana’s journey stands as one of Bollywood’s most heartfelt full-circle stories — built not on luck, but on relentless faith and self-belief.