World Poetry Day special| Ayushmann Khurrana: Have become more mainstream with not just my films but poems too

MUMBAI, MARCH 21 (Online): Actor Ayushmann Khurrana poses for HT City exclusively as he pens down a poem in his diary on World Poetry Day.
The world knows him as an actor and singer, but poetry is the other love of Ayushmann Khurrana’s life. Posing for HT City as he settles down to pen something on World Poetry Day today, he confesses the things he writes poems about has changed over the years.

“In the past, I picked up themes related to social issues, which would question societal norms. I think I’ve now become more generic with love themes and thoughts about everyday life,” muses the 39- year-old, adding, “I’ve become more mainstream with not just films but also poetry.” The Dream Girl 2 (2023) actor admits having got a bit more “mainstream artiste and poetry taking “back seat”, but he makes it a point to pen his thoughts down whenever he gets a chance. “These days, I don’t post my thoughts because I want to keep it for later. Some are a little more intimate for a poem. They are okay for my personal diary, where the access is only with me,” says Khurrana.

With a career spanning over two decades, the actor asserts that he was intentionally keeping away from screen to explore other prospects.
With a career spanning over two decades, actor Naman Shaw asserts that he was intentionally keeping away from screen for some time as he wanted to explore other prospects in life.

“I have been part of some super successful shows like (2000-08), (2001-08), (2006-09) and many more. I tasted success and earned the love of fans much early in my career. Today things are different, as every day, a new actor is launched, and the audience don’t keep themselves invested in the show anymore. I have lived in an era where television too had stars. Also, actors don’t get opportunities like that anymore, shows hardly run for months leave alone years,” says Shaw.

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On his six-year hiatus from mainstream television, the actor says, “After a series of shows, I wanted to dabble in other options and opportunities. And I needed time to look into other things in life. So, it was during the break that I came up with my own production and got into line producing OTT series like (2020),(2023) and next will be a film called as well. Also, my personal life too kept me occupied. I got married and then we had our baby so in those six years too, I was very busy moving ahead in life.”

Shaw feels he has played too many good boy characters and over the years and now wishes to do something that gave him space to experiment.

On World Poetry Day, Saiyami Kher talks about her special bond with veteran poet-lyricist Gulzar
Even after coming from a different generation, actor Saiyami Kher shares a very special bond with poet, lyricist, author, screenwriter, and film director Gulzar. On World Poetry Day, the actor recounts how the veteran writer’s words have influenced her life.

She says, “Gulzar sahab’s poetry transcends time and language barriers. They touch the soul with its profound beauty and depth. His words have inspired me personally in countless ways. The essence of his poetry, the intricacy of his storytelling, and the sheer emotion woven into every verse have touched my life and made me a better person.”