Actor Ayushmann Khurrana has revealed that his late father, astrologer P Khurana, was very strict and would often thrash him with ‘chappals’ and ‘belts’. Khurrana, renowned for his roles in films such as Vicky Donor (2012) and Article 15 (2019), went as far as describing his father as a “dictator”.

During an interview on the Honestly Saying Podcast, the actor opened up about embracing fatherhood, saying, “I became a father in my 20s. In fact, Vicky Donor was released when I was already a father. It was very different. Both me and Tahira (Kashyap, wife and filmmaker) evolved together because we were very young parents. The best part is that I have a daughter. You become a better person. Daughters teach you to be more empathetic.”

When asked if he was different as a father than his own, the 40-year-old shared, “I’m a completely different father. Mine was a dictator. Getting beaten with chappals, belts, etc… were par for the course. And of course, there was childhood trauma...”

He recalled, “One day, I was returning from a party, and my shirt smelled of cigarette smoke. Now, I never touched it (cigarette) because of the fear of my father. But I still got beaten up for it.”

His father, who was known for his contribution in the field of astrology, died last year.

High school sweethearts, Khurrana and Kashyap got married in 2008. The couple have two children together, Virajveer (10) and Varushka (8).

On the work front, the actor is set to join a horror-comedy universe with Thama. The film slated for release next year will also feature actors Rashmika Mandanna, Paresh Rawal and Nawazuddin Siddiqui. Khurrana will be seen as a vampire in the movie.