Showing posts with label Aayush Sharma interview. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Aayush Sharma interview. Show all posts
Ayat thinks my younger brother did Loveyatri-Aayush Sharma
3:02 PM
Actor Aayush Sharma reflects on parenting his daughter and becoming friends with son, Ahil
Letty Mariam Abraham (MID-DAY; June 15, 2025)
Every day with his children is Father’s Day for Aayush Sharma, especially when his interior designer-wife Arpita Khan is caught up with other responsibilities. While the feeling of fatherhood didn’t sink in when his son Ahil, 9, was born, he felt the need to be a “role model” to his six-year-old daughter Ayat.
“I was quite chilled and relaxed when I had Ahil. But when Ayat came, I felt that I wanted to be responsible, be a good role model, and have her look up to me. I want her to feel safe and secure. I feel that Ahil is my friend and Ayat is my child. That’s the equation I share with my kids,” says the actor, who is more conscious of his film choices now.
Sharma hopes to do films that his kids can watch. While they’ve watched Loveyatri (2018) and Ruslaan (2024), he is sceptical about showing Antim: The Final Truth (2021) to his daughter.
He shares, “I remember Ahil couldn’t stop crying seeing the climax of Antim. He genuinely believed that something happened to me. I didn’t want Ayat to go through that. She still believes that it’s my younger brother who did Loveyatri. I want them to see me onscreen, [as long as it] does not negatively impact them in any way. I want them to visit me on set and be part of my film premières. When they feel proud, it drives me to work better.”
Aayush Sharma’s upcoming film with Sanjay Dutt is titled My Punjabi Nikkah. Being an ardent fan and then sharing screen space with the legend is a “different ballgame”, he says.
“I am a big fan of his movies, including Vaastav [1999], Jodi No.1 [2001], and Musafir [2004]. I love the way he presents himself on screen. It’s a great opportunity to learn,” shares the actor.
When I went on vacations, people would troll me, ‘He’s blowing up Salman Khan’s money’-Aayush Sharma
3:09 PM
Onkar Kulkarni (BOMBAY TIMES; June 1, 2023)
Last October, at a talk session, Aayush Sharma addressed various subjects – from how he gets flak for the privilege that comes with being Salman Khan’s jija to how his wife Arpita gets constantly trolled on social media for her skin tone and weight. Recently, clips from the session emerged again and went viral. In a chat with us, he talks about dealing with trolls, not being delusional about his privileges and more.
‘THERE WAS CONSTANT CHATTER ABOUT MY BACKGROUND & MARRIAGE’
There was constant chatter about my background, marriage and my choice to be an actor. After my debut film, Loveyatri (2018), tanked, the noise on social media was as if this is the only film that has ever flopped. When my second film Antim: The Final Truth (2021) was announced, people began to troll me and say, ‘Yeh sirf SKF (Salman Khan Films) ki hi films karta hai and nobody else gives him work’.
‘I WANTED TO DO THE QUINTESSENTIAL SRK-STYLE ROMANCE’
I wanted to get into action from the beginning, but I didn’t really think I had it in me to do it. I was this typical Bollywood fan and wanted to do the quintessential Shah Rukh Khan-style romance in Switzerland. I tried my luck at it with Loveyatri. I got to do action in Antim and Ruslaan, but that doesn’t mean I’m not pursuing other genres.
‘WOULD GET TROLLED EVEN WHEN WE WENT ON VACAYS’
Talking about how wife Arpita Khan Sharma has been the target of trolls, he says, “Arpita is a very strong, confident woman, and it is amazing to have her as a partner. She accepts who she is. I would get trolled even when I went on vacations, as people would say, ‘He’s blowing up Salman Khan’s money.’ There were stories that Salman Khan gifted us an expensive car at our wedding and I am still wondering where that car is!”
People watched Antim with zero expectations, but they have expectations of me now-Aayush Sharma
7:58 AM
Neha Maheshwri (BOMBAY TIMES; December 29, 2021)
With Antim: The Final Truth that hit the screens last month, Aayush Sharma presented himself in an image, which was a far stretch from what we saw of him in his debut film, LoveYatri. All the blood and sweat that he put into his intense character as the brutal gangster, paid off, as he won appreciation for it. Now, the young actor is keen to prove his mettle in every genre possible. In an interview with BT, Aayush gets candid about his struggle after the failure of his first film, the lessons learnt from his second one, bulking up to match Salman Khan on screen and his filmi dreams. Excerpts...
Antim saw your growth as an artiste and you even underwent a massive physical transformation for the part. Very often, an actor’s physicality gets spoken about more than the real thing — performance, role, et al. Were you apprehensive about that?
It’s true that most of the time, the focus is more on an actor’s physical transformation. However, Rahulya (his character in Antim) didn’t require as much of a physical transformation as mental. The first aspect I had to work on was not to care about what people thought of me. As an actor, you are always concerned about what image you project, and the perception people build of you. The character of Rahulya required me to shed all those inhibitions. When I heard the narration, I felt that I was the antagonist, but it eventually turned out to be my story. In order to get into the skin of the character, it was essential for me to not judge Rahulya. I also read the book, The Courage To Be Disliked, which helped me prepare for the character better.
Along with the mental transformation of becoming the character, I worked on the physical aspect. I was aware that I wouldn’t be able to justify the high-octane action sequences if I did not transform myself to look the part. I had Salman Khan opposite me. His screen demeanour and stardom are so huge. To justify even sharing a frame with him, I required a massive physical transformation. That involved putting on 16 kilos to look convincing on screen and be able to pull off the character.
After playing the quintessential hero in LoveYatri, you played a gangster in your second film. Was that a conscious decision to refrain from being repetitive at the start of your career?
My first outing wasn’t a success at the box office, and my calibre as an actor was questioned. I wasn’t defensive about the criticism and I worked on my shortcomings. Today, there is an influx of great content and artistes. I realised that if I was going to pitch myself as a star and do the same thing again, I would just fizzle out. So, I wanted to project myself as an actor first and leave the rest to the audience. Their acceptance is the only way for you to attain stardom. You can do as many films as you wish to, but till the time the audience accepts you as an actor, there is no way you can become a star.
How frustrating was the period after your debut film failed to make a mark?
Failure teaches you a lot more than success does. Success tends to make you complacent, but failure pushes you to work harder. If you ask me today, I am grateful that my first outing wasn’t a success at the box office. Had it been, I probably would have stayed in the same zone and become repetitive. That experience taught me that for every film I need to put in the same effort I put in for Antim. It also prepared me to accept that if I fail once, it’s not the end of the road.
After Antim, do you feel the pressure to match the expectations that people now have of you?
My priority is to ensure that my performance doesn’t falter. I understand that people watched Antim with zero expectations, but they have expectations of me now. So, I am going to make sure that I work harder so that they can see a newer version of me in the next film and are pleasantly surprised.
Sharing screen space with your brother-in-law Salman Khan — did it ever unnerve you?
Fortunately, I have been trained by him, and for me, it means that while we can have fun at home, on the set, it is strictly professional. When I started working on this film, I realised that this is the biggest platform any actor can get. You have Salman Khan in a film being directed by Mahesh Manjrekar, whose story revolves around your character. Being a superstar, Salman (Khan) bhai knew the importance of this project for my career as well. But he never told me what to do or never instructed me to perform a scene in a certain way. The first thing he told me was that he had never played a grey character in his career and asked me to find out for myself. He could have guided me through this film, but what about the next one, or the one after that? So, he told me to hone and master my craft.
I hope I don’t let Salman Khan down-Aayush Sharma
8:12 AM
Aayush Sharma says he’s well aware of all that is at stake for him as well as his brother-in-law, Salman Khan
Sugandha Rawal (HINDUSTAN TIMES; November 18, 2021)
Aayush Sharma’s physical transformation for Antim: The Final Truth has left everyone impressed. The actor confesses that he has put in the extra effort to escape the notion that his career is a big “family affair”. The 31-year-old is aware that he represents his brother-in-law, actor Salman Khan with every move and doesn’t ever want to let him down.
“The pressure and responsibility are there. But more than anything, I hope I don’t let him (Khan) down. That is a big thing. He (Khan) has been there [for me],” says Sharma, who is married to Khan’s sister Arpita. He adds, “Somewhere down the line, people might say ‘Arey yeh ghar ki baat thi. Bhai ne picture produce ki hai toh kya ho gaya’. The only way that you can counter anything like this is by putting in the hard work.”
Sharma knows what all is at stake for him as well as for Khan. “He has worked very hard for that money. It is not like his money grows on trees. When he is producing a film, it is his own money that is at stake,” shares Sharma, revealing that Khan has spent hours teaching him the craft.
“He has put in five years training me. I feel that if I don’t work, people might say that his coaching or training didn’t work. All these factors keep playing in my mind,” says the actor, who made his debut in 2018 with Loveyatri backed by Khan.
For his role in this Mahesh Manjrekar directorial, Sharma spent three years on transforming his physique to get into the ‘lean mean machine’ mode. He says, “This film has Salman in it and you have to be a worthy opponent to him. For that, you need to look the part. And there needs to be some sort of believability in the character.”
Lastly, Sharma says he is grateful that he has got a chance to prove himself, and is excited about the film’s opening on the big screen.
I felt I won’t be able to hold my own in front of Salman Khan-Aayush Sharma
8:13 AM
Initially uncertain about sharing screen space with Salman, Aayush on how he brought his own interpretation to gangster role in Antim
Uma Ramasubramanian (MID-DAY; November 14, 2021)
It’s not easy to be pitted against Salman Khan in your second film. Add to that the fact that he has the task of striking a chord with the audience while playing a grey character. But Aayush Sharma is up for the challenge as he headlines Antim: The Final Truth, which sees him as a gangster whose criminal activities catch the attention of Khan’s honest cop.
“When the role came my way, my initial thought was I hope people don’t categorise me as a villain. But, today, the audience has evolved. Back in the day, Sanjay [Dutt] played a grey character in Vaastav [1999] when protagonists were expected to be all-white. Yet, his honest performance made it one of his cult films. So, I felt this was an opportunity to present myself in a different light to the audience,” says Sharma.
For the actor, director Mahesh Manjrekar’s raw treatment of his character was a big draw. “I told the makers we shouldn’t try to justify my character’s [motivations]. Justifying his reasons or making him a martyr at the end would take away from the part’s honesty.”
The film, an adaptation of Marathi hit Mulshi Pattern (2018), marks his first on-screen collaboration with brother-in-law Khan. “When I learnt Salman will play the cop, I was not sure about the idea. I felt I won’t be able to hold my own in front of him because he is a [superstar]. I was nervous that I would be intimidated on the set because he is my mentor. Most of all, I was scared that people shouldn’t assume that the film is an in-house affair with everybody [in the family] being part of it. He talked me into it.”
The actor adds that having Khan has been a blessing as the film is getting a theatrical release in the post-pandemic world because of his presence.
Sharma had to bulk up to look the part of a gangster. “After LoveYatri [2018], I was 60 kilos. It took me two years to reach 76 kilos for Antim. For a year, I was doing only strength training.”
When I’m talking to Ahil, my daughter doesn’t connect, and wonders what we are up to-Aayush Sharma
7:56 AM
Rishabh Suri (HINDUSTAN TIMES; June 20, 2021)
Aayush Sharma is learning how it is like to be a father “all over again”, despite having two kids. And that’s because of his one-and-a-half year old daughter, Aayat. “I keep discussing superheroes with my son, Ahil (5), playing video games, we discuss the new games in the market,” the actor tells us, adding, “But I’m still figuring out the footing with my daughter. I don’t have a sister, so I don’t know how to act around her. When I’m talking to Ahil, my daughter doesn’t connect, and wonders what we are up to.”
The 30-year-old, who first embraced fatherhood at the age of 24, feels “it’s different to be a parent to a son and a daughter”, and goes on to share an anecdote to explain. “When recently things opened up in Mumbai, I took her out for toy shopping. I took her to the action figures’ section and she didn’t react to anything, but in the section for dolls, she did! I’m figuring out what to do with dolls now,” he quips.
The Loveyatri (2018) actor confesses that before the pandemic, he was hardly home due to his work commitments. Hence, the lockdown period turned out to be a blessing in disguise as he got the much-needed “daddy time”.
“I got to know what my kids like and don’t like, when they throw tantrums... It brought me so much closer to them. I’m somebody who doesn’t like to parent. Between my wife, Arpita, and I, I’m the good cop. I’m more of a friend [to my kids],” Sharma shares.
Sometimes, Salman Bhai laughs and says, ‘What do these people see in you that they are signing you?’-Aayush Sharma
9:23 AM
Farzana Patowari1 (BOMBAY TIMES; February 23, 2019)
Aayush Sharma, who was last seen in the movie Loveyatri, says that he’s “delighted” over how the movie was received by the audience, even though it didn’t make any waves at the box office.
“For me, today, the biggest victory is that whoever watches the film, says they enjoyed it,” he explains, adding, “We wanted to make an easy-breezy love story for people, which had entertainment value. We did not try to give out any message, because some films are made purely for entertainment.”
Here’s what else he had to say about his past and future Bollywood outings, his evolving relationship with bro-in-law Salman Khan, and the other important role in his life — that of Ahil’s dad.
‘NOW, WHEN CHOGADA TARA COMES ON, I FEEL LIKE SAYING ‘BAS BHI KARO’’
Most of all, Aayush is happy about how well the music of Loveyatri did — especially the song Chogada Tara, that continues to play everywhere. “Sometimes, I have to say, ‘Arre bas karo yaar!’,” he jokes.
“You go to any party, and the moment this song comes on, people start looking at me. I am like, ‘What do you want me to do? Do you want me to dance or what?’ And sometimes, eventually, I have to,” laughs Aayush.
When his film released, he went to a single screen cinema hall in Mumbai, to see the reaction of the audience. “At the end of the film, people were standing and dancing to Chogada. The theatre owner came down and told me that he had seen the audience react like this only to big actors. He added, ‘I am not saying that you are a big actor, but you should cherish this moment — achieving this in your first film’. That is when I felt satisfied.”
He explains, “People in India don’t just watch the film. They whistle, dance, laugh and cry with you.”
‘SALMAN BHAI IS THE MOST SUPPORTIVE PERSON I KNOW’
When asked how his brother-in-law Salman Khan reacted to his film release, he replies, “Our conversations have become more mature. Initially, I would only talk about acting, but now — a film later — I talk about editing, camera, etc, so he keeps laughing and saying, ‘After one film only, you have picked up a lot of things’. I am particular about how I want to edit the film and how it should look. However, he is the most supportive person I know. He saw the film and told me on a Thursday, ‘Whatever happens on Friday, it is not in our hands. It is in the hands of the public. However, whatever is in our hands, we should be proud of that. I am proud of you and happy’.”
Aayush adds that Salman believes, “One should always see the brighter side, because in this industry, people will take you up at one point and then they can immediately bring you down. The biggest advise he gave me was that everything that I read about myself that praises me is useless, and every time someone criticizes me, I shouldn’t get negative and start contradicting it, saying that this person is biased or doesn’t like me.”
WHENEVER MY MOVIE RELEASES, I WANT PEOPLE TO THINK ‘ARRE, MUSIC TOH ACHHA HOGA’
Meanwhile, Aayush has been beefing up and also learning Marathi for his next film, Mulshi Pattern. He says, “It is a very different movie from Loveyatri, and I am very excited about it. It is not in my comfort zone. If it would have been a love story, then it would have been pretty easy, but this is, again, a learning process for me. Loveyatri was targeted towards a Gujarati audience, this is a pan-India film. It’s about an issue which is prevalent in the country, so to bring out the essence of the role and the subject, I am learning Marathi. I want to work harder on myself, so that when the people see the poster or promo, they say, ‘Is he the same guy?’ It’s an action film which will appeal to the masses, for sure — though I might lose the audience who liked me in Loveyatri, who may say ‘What the hell has he done?’”
Apart from this, Aayush says he has signed four other films and the fifth one is under negotiation.
Talking about the sheer amount of diverse roles coming his way, he says, “I think it’s God’s grace. Sometimes, Salman Bhai laughs and says, ‘What do these people see in you that they are signing you?’”
Apart from concentrating on doing diverse roles across various genres, Aayush is now also taking keen interest in the music and production processes of his future films.
He says, “I love music, and now I have a big thing in my head, that ‘Loveyatri music was like this’. Now, every time I listen to a track from my new films, I say, ‘Listen, dude my last film had this music. We need to either smash it like that, or do better than it’. I want that whenever people see that I am coming, they say that ‘Arre, music toh accha hoga’. I am actively involved in the music of the movie. However, I try to keep myself from recreating the same songs.”
‘I SPEND 3 AM TO 5 AM WITH AHIL EVERY DAY’
Aayush and his wife Arpita Khan welcomed their first child Ahil Sharma around the same time his Bollywood career kicked off. How does he balance both these roles?
“His third birthday is on March 30, and he is getting crazier with each passing day. He has started speaking, and he speaks proper English now. I interacted very less with him last year, and I had lost around ten months with him, as I was busy shooting and promoting the film. Now, when I spend time with him and see him doing new things, I think, ‘Arre yeh kab seekha?’ He holds up his palm and says, ‘First listen to me’. The other day, he was saying, “You two will go and get me a burger and I will sit at home’.” I said, ‘Ahil, let’s go and eat out. He replied by pointing at us, and saying that he will stay at home, and that we should go and bring his food. He sleeps very late, as though he’s adjusting to our schedule. I spend 3 am to 5 am with him, and that is the only time I get with him. Sometimes, he crashes my meeting and gives out useless information that none of us need to know,” laughs Aayush. He adds, “He thinks that I am a superhero now. Every time we discuss an action scene, he thinks that it is a superhero film. Sometimes, he also comes to my gym when we are working out. I have also taught him how to do pushups!”
Salman Khan said, 'I hope from this day onward, you never have a day off'-Aayush Sharma
8:08 AM
Chaya Unnikrishnan (DNA; September 27, 2018)
After assisting on films like Bajrangi Bhaijaan and Sultan, Aayush Sharma is gearing up for the release of his acting debut LoveYatri. With Salman Khan launching him, the newbie couldn’t have asked for a better beginning. He is aware of the privilege and candidly says, “If you take away ‘SKF’ from my film, you wouldn’t have talked to me or interviewed me.” And, while his fate at the box-office will be decided on October 5 when the film releases, Aayush has already caught the audience’s attention for his dancing skills in songs like Rangtari and Chogada. Here, he talks about making the transition from an assistant director to an actor, Bhai’s advice to him and more.
Did you always want to be an actor?
No. I never thought I would be an actor. When I came to Mumbai to study at Jai Hind College, I thought I would open a restaurant, but my friends would say I should be an actor. At that time, I thought of doing a prime-time TV show, as it will be a good way to stay in Mumbai and my parents could watch me on the the small screen back home. But I never went for auditions to get work. I was staying in Bandra and happened to meet Arpita (Khan), then Sohail (Khan) and Salman bhai. They, too, told me I should try for acting as they believed I had the potential.
Was that when you started training?
I had neither participated in the school assembly, nor was I into any theatre group. To be honest, I was too shy. So, I had to start from ground zero. I started assisting on films like Bajrangi Bhaijaan (2015), Prem Ratan Dhan Payo (2015), Sultan (2016) and Tubelight (2017). That was really an eye-opener on how movies are made. I also learnt the technical aspects.
Once you have assisted on a movie, you start respecting the hard work that goes behind making one. When Bajrangi Bhaijaan became a blockbuster and won critical acclaim, somewhere I felt it is my film. I thought I should be a part of this profession and do one movie that people will remember me for.
How did LoveYatri happen?
I was assisting on Sultan where Abhiraj (Minawala) was the first AD. He wanted to make his directorial debut and was working on a film written by Narenbhai (Bhatt). He narrated LoveYatri’s idea to Salman bhai saying I could do the film. Bhai liked the plot and asked him to work on it. During Tubelight, I heard the script and I loved it. I found it to be a good blend of content and commerce. You can’t control the box office, but you have to be proud of the content you are going to bring out. They were looking for a studio to produce it when Bhai said, ‘I want it to be an SKF film’.
What tips did you take from Salman Khan?
Every time I was on Salman bhai’s set, I tried to ask him about acting and he would say, ‘Acting is a reflection of what you are in real life, the day you try to act, you will ham’. He told me to keep observing and marking his work before his take. He did not even come on the sets on the first day of my shoot.
Instead, early in the morning at 7 he sent me a message saying: Feel every line, every emotion, every character. You don’t need to be Aayush anymore, you need to be the character. For me, it was too much to process! All these years, he didn’t give me any advice and suddenly so many things (laughs).
How was your first day on the sets?
I was excited, but also nervous. I was still getting used to the idea that from an assistant, I was now an actor. It was new, more so because many people feel that I am here because I am related to someone. Now, I needed to give such a shot that the ADs say, ‘He deserves to be here’. That was playing on my mind along with the advice that Bhai had given me. But it was a smooth day, we started with the song Tera Hua. At the end of the day, when I messaged Bhai about it, he texted back a sweet message saying, ‘Insha Allah! Beta best of luck, I hope from this day onward, you never have a day off and spend every day in front of the camera’.
With all the talk about nepotism, do you feel you are the privileged one?
I believe there are some people whose talent hasn’t got due credit and are waiting for a platform like this. I am lucky to have it, but more than that, I am fortunate to have the guidance of someone experienced. Many people are not guided properly and are wasting their time doing something else. There is also a difference between the box-office collection of debutants who have no i connections as opposed to those who have them. If a film with newcomers doesn’t have a big banner attached to it, it doesn’t get marketed well. Realistically, they don’t get that kind of publicity or screens. If you take SKF away from LoveYatri, who will talk to me or interview me? Of course, it helps. An outsider has to figure his own way out.
At the same time, I am as new and as raw as Warina (Hussain, his co-star) is. I was not born into a film family, but because I have a certain background, people will look at me, and say, ‘Let’s criticise him’. But in case of Warina, whatever she does, they will say, fine, it’s her first film. So, it works both ways, there are advantages and disadvantages. My only hope is that when people see the film and my work they say, ‘He deserves to be an actor’. That will be my victory.
Usually, newcomers tend to hide their marriage or family from the media as it may affect their image...
My wife has been my support system. I got married into a famous family, and I don’t think hiding your wife or child will help in your career. If you are good at your work, married or single doesn’t matter. At the end of the day people will look at your work. My family is my motivation. I believe Arpita is known as Salman Khan’s sister, I want to work hard enough that she is proud to be called Aayush Sharma’s wife. My family is the source of my strength.
Were you upset when the title was changed from LoveRatri to LoveYatri?
I have been living with the title LoveRatri for the past one year, so when they changed it I said, ‘No, that is my identity, you can’t take it away from me’. But I respect people’s emotions, it’s not important what the film is called. I have four hit songs, people know me as the Chogada boy, not LoveRatri boy. The producer’s intention is to launch three careers with the film, so when some people peacefully told us to change the title before it became a media spectacle, we did it. We made it with a lot of pyaar and hope that pyaar continues.
The moment I am on the big screen, I’ll be on my own. People will forget who I am related to-Aayush Sharma
8:03 AM
Madhureeta Mukherjee (BOMBAY TIMES; September 22, 2018)
He comes from a family that’s deeply rooted in politics, and he’s married into a khandaan that is a mighty force in Bollywood. The moment Aayush Sharma tied the knot with Salman Khan’s sister Arpita, he came into the filmi fold. But he confesses that filmdom is something that he is still warming up to. Yes, he has bhai’s muscle power backing him, but the young and restless actor knows that it comes with hefty expectations and he will be pitted against nothing but the best. With his dream debut Loveyatri, directed by Abhiraj Minawala, inching closer to release, garba boy (that’s what he is lovingly called by many now) Aayush, is all fired up and ready to take the leap. In an interview with BT, he talks about his childhood days of growing up in a political family, his relationship with the ‘Khan’daan, and how he hopes that when he’s finally on the big screen, all that will matter is the performance he puts out there. Read on…
You hail from a family with a political background (son of politician Anil Sharma) and at some point, you were handling the family business, too. When were you bitten by the acting bug?
I was always a huge movie buff; I liked watching Bollywood movies over Hollywood movies. I bunked classes to watch movies. I loved watching Govinda sir’s and Shah Rukh bhai’s films. When I moved to Mumbai, the thought of being an actor was just an amateurish idea. I gave a few auditions, after which I felt that this isn’t my cup of tea. The idea came back to me because of Sohail bhai (Arpita’s brother). We would train at the same gym, where he noticed me and said that he has a film (My Punjabi Nikaah) in mind, which he wanted to direct and that I would be a good fit for it. That day, when I came home, I said to myself that this is more than I could ask for. After that conversation, nothing really happened. Then I met Arpita and we grew close, and much later, when we decided to get married, the topic came up again. Arpita had planned a meeting between Salman, Sohail, Arbaaz and me, and when Sohail saw me, he turned to Salman and told him that I was the same boy that he had met at the gym. They went into a room, discussed something and when they came out, Salman bhai laughed and said, ‘Arpita, you have ruined his career. Sohail wanted to make a film with him and now that he is getting married to you, he has to train to be an actor’.
But at that stage, Salman didn’t have any plans of launching you, right?
Bhai said he won’t launch me, but he will train me to step into the industry. He always told me, ‘I should feel that you are ready to be an actor. If you aren’t, then I won’t work towards it’. Even when I started working as an AD, he told me that if I didn’t feel connected with the world of movies, I should go back to whatever I was doing. So, for four years, I did the drill. I trained every day (dancing, acting and horse riding) and was on set to understand the workings of the film industry. It is funny that I have the pressure of being from the industry, but actually, I am not from the industry. My director Abhiraj Minawala nurtured the idea of making Loveyatri while he was an AD on Sultan (2016). I was also assisting on that film, and he discussed it with Salman bhai and me. But back then, bhai told him that I needed time and I wasn’t ready. Only when we felt that we are ready to take it on, bhai heard the script, loved it and gave us a go ahead.
You have been married for over 3.5 years to Arpita. Was it intimidating marrying into the big Khan family?
Yes, at first it was intimidating, as I was trying to understand the whole family and get familiar with them. Now, I tell my father that I am blessed to have such a strong family in Mumbai. In Arpita’s family, everyone stays close by and they celebrate everything together. When we decided to get married, it wasn’t just the approval of Salim uncle or Salman bhai that mattered. The whole family’s approval was important. They were so warm and welcoming. I am closest to my mother-in-law (Salma Khan); she’s like my own mom. If she knows that I am shooting in the city, she never forgets to ask me if she should send me khaana. Loveyatri is not just my film; everyone in the family is involved in some way or the other. The film is like a family project, it’s like a home video that we have created together.
You come from a family that is deeply rooted in politics, but with your keen interest in movies, were you the odd one out?
While growing up, we didn’t discuss Bollywood at home. Our dinner conversations were mostly about politics. We were fairly reserved when it came to watching movies. In fact, if we went for a movie, it had to be for a special occasion, like a birthday treat, where dad took us for dinner and then to a movie theatre. It was a family tradition. I never thought I would be able to tell him that I wanted to be an actor, as I knew that he would be shocked by it. Being a politician, he never interacted with actors and he didn’t know anyone from the film industry. He wondered how this idea even occurred to me. When I actually told him about it, he was silent for a few minutes and then said, ‘This industry is not for us, we are very simple people. To be an actor, you have to be tall, extremely good-looking and well built, and you are nothing like that’ (laughs!). Well, he has not watched too, many movies, and his knowledge of cinema comes mostly from the films that he’s seen in the past. He even went ahead and told me, ‘In our times, Dharam ji (Dharmendra) was an actor. You are nothing like Dharam ji, so you shouldn’t try your luck in acting’.
In a way, you grew up in the public eye. You probably didn’t have the paparazzi following you everywhere, but political families also draw a fair amount of public and media attention.
The people of Mandi are very close to us. If you go to our house there, you will see that it’s always full of people. We have very little privacy and we have literally grown up with the people of Mandi. It’s a small town, and politics is a very big thing there, so everyone follows us closely and feels involved. I have fond memories of the time my dad and grandfather would contest for elections. As kids, we would go around carrying posters and paste them on walls. We would even carry badges in our backpack and hand them out to people.
Cut to Bollywood, life in showbiz is very different. After Arpita came into your life, you probably got a whiff of what it is like being in full media glare. And now that you are making your debut as an actor, people’s interest in you will only get stronger. Are you warming up to all the attention?
Politics and movies are very different worlds. In politics, you don’t live a flamboyant life. Even if you are like that, you can’t live like that. As a kid, my dad would tell me, ‘Don’t talk too much, listen more’. In Bollywood, it is important to talk. It took me a lot of time to get used to it. Initially, when I would go to parties with Arpita, I would tell her not to leave my hand, as I felt out of place. On seeing actors at parties, I would ask myself… Should I say hello? If I do, will I come across as a fan? I had so many such thoughts running through my head. Till date, I can’t hang around at a Bollywood party for more than 45 minutes. I have a timer, I quickly do my round of hellos, and then I am out of there.
Has marriage and fatherhood brought about a change in you?
When you are a bachelor, your responsibilities are different. You can take risks and also take life slightly easy. Marriage has made me very responsible. I am extremely lucky that I have a huge support system in Arpita. Being from the industry, she understands the profession and she is fully aware of the hard work that goes into it. She never tells me to skip my training so that we can go out for dinner, instead, she pushes me to work harder. We have a kid, Ahil, so I have to work hard for all of us. It will be a proud moment for me when Ahil will go to school and be known not just as Salman Khan’s nephew, but also as Aayush Sharma’s son. I will be happy to achieve that status in my life.
Talking about all the blood and sweat that goes into becoming an actor, in an interview with BT, Salman had voiced his opinion on the same subject. He had said, ‘Actor banna halwa nahin hai, it’s a lot of hard work. Today, they have to get trained for it and understand what it takes to make a movie. The journey is long... one or two years go by as an assistant director’. In spite of having Salman Khan as your mentor, you waited for long to reach this point; did you ever have second thoughts?
There were days when I thought that I wasn’t good at it. The first day when I was on set, I called Arpita and said, ‘I don’t think that I can be an actor’. Look at the number of people who are dependent on me to do my job well. It’s not just about my career, but so many people’s careers that are riding along with mine. Arpita was supportive and so was Salman bhai. He told me that I will be compared to the best, and that I won’t get any leeway. I know it and I fully understand that. I wasn’t born into a film family, but I know that I will be considered a filmi kid, and I will have to work harder than the others. Bhai clearly explained, ‘I lucked out, that doesn’t mean you will, too. Your hard work will take you places. You have to be grateful for every day that you are on set. I can launch you and give you the first film, but I can’t act and dance for you. If that was the case, everyone who I launched would have become a superstar. It is your destiny, after all’. I am glad that I got a reality check so early on in my career.
When a superstar like Salman Khan takes you under his wing, it is a privilege, but it also comes with immense pressure, doesn’t it?
Yes, there is huge pressure, and I also know that there are a lot of people who are wondering whether I deserve to be an actor. There are conversations around it, but I don’t look at it that way, else it will break my spirit. Today, I have a platform like Loveyatri, I don’t know if I deserve a film like this, but I feel so fortunate to be a part of it. I am lucky that people are keen to see me on screen. In a year, there are many movies that release, but don’t get the kind of attention and traction they deserve. The moment I am on the big screen, I’ll be on my own. Then, it will be about how good or bad I am. People will forget who I am related to.
Salman bhai has a different approach to teaching people-Aayush Sharma
8:47 AM
Ready to make his debut with Loveratri, Aayush Sharma on how he learnt action the hard way from mentor and brother-in-law
Mohar Basu (MID-DAY; July 16, 2018)
Salman Khan may have announced Loveratri only last October, but the superstar had been training Aayush Sharma to become an actor over the last four years. Considering action is Khan's forte, he was keen that his brother-in-law too develop his physical prowess and not rely on body doubles for action sequences in films. The youngster reveals that Khan began training him in action as early as 2015 during the Rajasthan leg of Bajrangi Bhaijaan's shoot.
Stating that Khan has rather unusual ways of teaching, Sharma recalls, "One night, after the shoot of Bajrangi Bhaijaan, the stuntman, on Salman bhai's request, taught me how to roll down sand dunes and perform some stunts. When Salman bhai and I were on the sand dunes the next day, he pushed me down without any warning. As I went down tossing and turning, I kept wondering what just happened."
Turns out, Khan repeated the act several times, until the debutant actor understood it was his way of testing his protégé. "When I was pushed down the third time, I rolled and landed properly, based on what I was taught the night before. Salman bhai then told me that he wants me to be prepared at all times to perform my own stunts. He pointed out that it was essential to know how to land after a fall, so that I don't hurt myself when a stunt goes awry."
Having been groomed under the watchful eye of the superstar, he admits that his unconventional methods may not be for the faint-hearted. But, he points out that he wouldn't have it any other way. "Salman bhai has a very different approach to teaching. He makes sure you remember his lessons."
The visarjan will be at Galaxy-Arpita Khan
3:13 PM
Nayandeep Rakshit (DNA; August 25, 2017)
For many years now, Arpita Khan Sharma has been bringing the Ganesha idol to her parents Salma and Salim Khan’s house. Last year, even after she got married, she brought the elephant God to brother Salman Khan’s house on the ground floor of Galaxy Apartments. However, this year the Ganpati celebrations have moved to Arpita and Aayush’s new house, which they’ve bought recently. In an exclusive chat with After Hrs, the couple discuss their plans this year....
New place
While the Ganpati festival has always been an annual affair at Galaxy Apartment, there is a reason why the couple decided to move it to their new home. Aayush explains, “Actually, it becomes a little difficult for dad (Salim Khan) and mom (Salma Khan) because there are so many people coming in and they don’t get their space. For two days, there are people constantly in and out, and it’s a bit much for them. Last year, too, we talked about moving it out of Galaxy. This year we got this new house and so we decided to do the celebrations at our place.”
A family affair
Arpita adds, “When I’d decided to start keeping Ganpati, we didn’t know how long we would do so. It all just happened. Now after 14 years of celebrating it, it’s become a family function. We all look forward to celebrating it. I feel truly blessed to have Ganpati Bappa grace our new home with his presence first and then we will be moving in. Galaxy will always be blessed by Ganpati and the visarjan will be at Galaxy garden.” Although the celebrations are shifting to their new abode, everything else remains unchanged. It is still the family’s Ganpati. It’s still very much the entire family’s festival. Everyone’s going to be here. It’s just that it’s at a new destination. Salman bhai will also be coming for a day to be there with us,” smiles Aayush.
Totally involved
Arpita was in New York, but she overlooked all the preparations. Aayush lets on, “She has always been gung-ho about Ganpati. The whole family considers it her festival. It’s Arpita’s Ganpati and it’s been that way forever.” Arpita adds, “It would not have been possible without my parents’ permission. My mom is equally involved with the celebrations, but she leaves the arrangements to me. We have a fixed person from whom we get our eco-friendly Ganpati idol from.” Arpita FaceTimed with Ayush from New York and made all the arrangements — from the flowers to the decorations.
It's not easy to marry someone who comes from this family-Arpita Khan
8:43 AM
Priya Gupta (BOMBAY TIMES; February 14, 2015)
Aayush Sharma, 24, and
Arpita Khan, 26, may come from different backgrounds, but both belong to
families that are affluent and well known. While Arpita is more
emotional, sensitive, straightforward and outgoing, Aayush is more
reserved and diplomatic and while both have strong likes and dislikes
and are strong-headed and opinionated, Arpita is more forgiving than he
is. Both think that they are difficult to live with and emotionally
dominating, but they are finally best buddies who give into each other.
While Arpita makes the choice on holidays and food, Aayush gets to
decide on the movies they watch. They feel blessed with all the love and
attention they got during their wedding and are currently enjoying
their honeymoon period. They have travelled to London, New York, Dubai
and now Maldives, but their most special outing remains with Salman Khan
in Mandawa, where they spent a week with him.
While much is known about Arpita due to her superstar brother Salman
Khan, not much is known about the reserved boy Aayush, who is equally
affluent as her and comes from Mandi's first political family. We
bring you excerpts from their first ever interview post marriage.
CONVERSATION WITH ARPITA KHAN SHARMA:
What made you cry at your wed ding during your speech?
For me, it was very emotional obviously. I was moving into another family, but at the same time, my family is my family. When I saw my brothers and my father crying all around me, then there was nothing that I could do. While I could see them all crying, everybody was looking down as no one wanted to have eye contact with anyone else. I didn't want to cry, which is why I didn't do a bidai ceremony, but kept it to a modern wedding.
How does it now feel to manage your own house?
Not very stressful as I used to manage my mother's house for the longest time. Today, my mother manages more or less my house, so, there is a lot of give and take between us and there is no your house or my house. I have a great back-up system so I have nothing to worry about.
Any memories from the marriage?
During my wedding from the pheras to the party, we had another venue, but it started raining. Everyone said it was auspicious, though at that time it didn't seem very auspicious for me as my whole venue had to change. But it was with all the blessings we got.
When did you and Aayush meet?
We met through a common friend and then lost touch in the middle and then again met about two years ago and then started dating.
What do you like the most about him?
He is a very chilled out and sorted person and just lets me be who I am. He is simple to be with. I am a very difficult person to be with as I am not a normal conventional person. I am very strict and stuck to my ways. I am very family-oriented and for me, it is important that everybody has to respect my family.
Who is your biggest support?
My dad is my backbone, Salman bhai's the person who makes me believe that I can walk over this world and nothing can happen to me. Sohail bhai is my protector and my friendly brother. My mum, who has gone through too much, but who always smiled for us to go through anything. And Aayush, the person who has taken on this kind of pressure in marrying me. It's not easy to marry someone who comes from this family.
Were you both overwhelmed with all the attention and love you got during your wedding?
It was quite shocking and overwhelming and you didn't know whether it was intrusive or nice. We belong to a society where a section of people are our well wishers and there is a bunch that is jealous. We also are human beings who feel hurt when people say nasty things on social media. They are comments not called for and I wish people just live and let live and don't keep judging you. My family being filmi are more well known and have a larger than-life image, but without knowing about the other person's background, don't say nasty things. They would say things like, 'Oh, he is married to her because of this or that.' How do you know? May be I have married him for another reason? I don't approve of it and find it disgusting and hurting that you take a dig at somebody, not knowing where they come from. You put up a picture of a holiday and someone says, 'Oh, you are living off her.' That's so regressive and uncool. They forget that he comes from an affluent family, just that they are in politics and not in films. If pictures of where we are travelling, what jewellery we have, what cars is bothering you, don't look at us or follow us, but why comment? Don't look at our blessings as something wrong. They will ask Aayush on Twitter how much money he makes. Well, he is not going to file his income tax returns on Instagram, right?
Why do you follow people to discredit the relationship and abuse and assume that we are so stupid that we have allowed us to make such an ass out of us. I follow Beyonce and am really fond of her and one day I noticed that she too gets bad comments and that made me feel good. Coming from where she does, given that she has achieved so much, there were people who were nobodies still finding fault in her. It's really not needed.
Since Aayush is still training for his Bollywood debut, who runs your house financially?
My father-in-law supports us and he has given us a budget to run our house in. It is so sweet of him to support us and for even having allowed Aayush to have got married at 24 despite him not being settled yet. We have had everything easy on a platter, but he wants Aayush to make it big in his life and not become complacent, so, he has put some restrictions on us. Again, I am very spoilt and have been brought up a certain way and if I don't think it is right to ask my husband for something, I can get it from own money or can get it from Salman bhai. Aayush and me don't look at things as his or mine. It's ours.
CONVERSATION WITH AAYUSH SHARMA:
Talk about your political background.
My grandfather Pandit Sukh Ram was a veteran in Congress and represented Himachal Pradesh from a time when it was not even an influential state. The people of Mandi have loved us so much that past 50 years, we have never lost an election there. My grandfather was the man who got cellphones to India. My father Anil Sharma too is a politician and is currently the Cabinet Minister in Himachal Pradesh for Rural Development, Panchayati Raj and Animal Husbandry. Our family conversations have always been about politics. I have grown up with dos and dont's in public and how to behave in your constituency. We have always been taught that in politics there are no friends and so my family is very reserved. They may not interact with media as much, but they are very conscious of what people think of them. It's easier for me to walk in Mumbai as no one knows me here, but in Mandi, they all know us.
What made you choose Bollywood over politics?
I have always felt that politics is a thankless job. I won't say that I will never join politics, but not for now at least. When I first told my parents that I wanted to become an actor, they did not take me seriously. They felt it was just a phase that would pass. But then after completing my Class XII from DPS RK Puram in Delhi, I moved to Mumbai alone to do my graduation at Jai Hind and had decided that I wanted to become an actor. I wanted to move out at a certain age to learn and handle things myself. And while my parents knew that it would be much easier for me to join politics over wanting to become an actor as no one from my family had done that, they were always supportive towards me. My father doesn't say much, but he has always been there for me. He has never discredited me for choosing this profession or put a time frame for me to be successful. He always says, 'Take your time and learn whatever you can.' He has not made me very comfortable as he does not want me to become complacent, but is still my biggest security.
How different is Bollywood from politics?
People are always judging in both as both are public personalities. They both have power, name, fame and people's admiration and responsibility towards society. The difference is that while in films, you can have friends, in politics, there are no friends.
What do you like the most about Arpita?
She has her opinions and is strong-headed and is not a typical Indian girl and that is good for me. She knows so much about the world and she is my backbone. I love that she is crazy and is more like a guy. She is very caring and that is something she shares with Salman bhai. She is fine and likes to pretend that she is difficult, which she is not. She is selfless and that is very important as I am very selfish. I am a very difficult person to be with. I am very impatient. If I want to do something, I want to do it. I tend to get bratty with her as she pampers me. I was leading a complete bachelor's life before her, where nothing was organised. I can't talk to my father about movies, but with Arpita I can talk about anything. We love each other because we are friends. I sometimes even call her bro. It's like sitting with a guy friend and not being judged. She is also very overtly-protective about me.
Do you have a favourite member in her family?
I have a different equation with each of them, but I have spent a lot of time with Sohail bhai as we used to go to the same gym and I have known him even before I knew Arpita.
Any special memory for you from your wedding celebrations?
What was most special was when they finally announced that she was officially Mrs Sharma
CONVERSATION WITH ARPITA KHAN SHARMA:
What made you cry at your wed ding during your speech?
For me, it was very emotional obviously. I was moving into another family, but at the same time, my family is my family. When I saw my brothers and my father crying all around me, then there was nothing that I could do. While I could see them all crying, everybody was looking down as no one wanted to have eye contact with anyone else. I didn't want to cry, which is why I didn't do a bidai ceremony, but kept it to a modern wedding.
How does it now feel to manage your own house?
Not very stressful as I used to manage my mother's house for the longest time. Today, my mother manages more or less my house, so, there is a lot of give and take between us and there is no your house or my house. I have a great back-up system so I have nothing to worry about.
Any memories from the marriage?
During my wedding from the pheras to the party, we had another venue, but it started raining. Everyone said it was auspicious, though at that time it didn't seem very auspicious for me as my whole venue had to change. But it was with all the blessings we got.
When did you and Aayush meet?
We met through a common friend and then lost touch in the middle and then again met about two years ago and then started dating.
What do you like the most about him?
He is a very chilled out and sorted person and just lets me be who I am. He is simple to be with. I am a very difficult person to be with as I am not a normal conventional person. I am very strict and stuck to my ways. I am very family-oriented and for me, it is important that everybody has to respect my family.
Who is your biggest support?
My dad is my backbone, Salman bhai's the person who makes me believe that I can walk over this world and nothing can happen to me. Sohail bhai is my protector and my friendly brother. My mum, who has gone through too much, but who always smiled for us to go through anything. And Aayush, the person who has taken on this kind of pressure in marrying me. It's not easy to marry someone who comes from this family.
Were you both overwhelmed with all the attention and love you got during your wedding?
It was quite shocking and overwhelming and you didn't know whether it was intrusive or nice. We belong to a society where a section of people are our well wishers and there is a bunch that is jealous. We also are human beings who feel hurt when people say nasty things on social media. They are comments not called for and I wish people just live and let live and don't keep judging you. My family being filmi are more well known and have a larger than-life image, but without knowing about the other person's background, don't say nasty things. They would say things like, 'Oh, he is married to her because of this or that.' How do you know? May be I have married him for another reason? I don't approve of it and find it disgusting and hurting that you take a dig at somebody, not knowing where they come from. You put up a picture of a holiday and someone says, 'Oh, you are living off her.' That's so regressive and uncool. They forget that he comes from an affluent family, just that they are in politics and not in films. If pictures of where we are travelling, what jewellery we have, what cars is bothering you, don't look at us or follow us, but why comment? Don't look at our blessings as something wrong. They will ask Aayush on Twitter how much money he makes. Well, he is not going to file his income tax returns on Instagram, right?
Why do you follow people to discredit the relationship and abuse and assume that we are so stupid that we have allowed us to make such an ass out of us. I follow Beyonce and am really fond of her and one day I noticed that she too gets bad comments and that made me feel good. Coming from where she does, given that she has achieved so much, there were people who were nobodies still finding fault in her. It's really not needed.
Since Aayush is still training for his Bollywood debut, who runs your house financially?
My father-in-law supports us and he has given us a budget to run our house in. It is so sweet of him to support us and for even having allowed Aayush to have got married at 24 despite him not being settled yet. We have had everything easy on a platter, but he wants Aayush to make it big in his life and not become complacent, so, he has put some restrictions on us. Again, I am very spoilt and have been brought up a certain way and if I don't think it is right to ask my husband for something, I can get it from own money or can get it from Salman bhai. Aayush and me don't look at things as his or mine. It's ours.
CONVERSATION WITH AAYUSH SHARMA:
Talk about your political background.
My grandfather Pandit Sukh Ram was a veteran in Congress and represented Himachal Pradesh from a time when it was not even an influential state. The people of Mandi have loved us so much that past 50 years, we have never lost an election there. My grandfather was the man who got cellphones to India. My father Anil Sharma too is a politician and is currently the Cabinet Minister in Himachal Pradesh for Rural Development, Panchayati Raj and Animal Husbandry. Our family conversations have always been about politics. I have grown up with dos and dont's in public and how to behave in your constituency. We have always been taught that in politics there are no friends and so my family is very reserved. They may not interact with media as much, but they are very conscious of what people think of them. It's easier for me to walk in Mumbai as no one knows me here, but in Mandi, they all know us.
What made you choose Bollywood over politics?
I have always felt that politics is a thankless job. I won't say that I will never join politics, but not for now at least. When I first told my parents that I wanted to become an actor, they did not take me seriously. They felt it was just a phase that would pass. But then after completing my Class XII from DPS RK Puram in Delhi, I moved to Mumbai alone to do my graduation at Jai Hind and had decided that I wanted to become an actor. I wanted to move out at a certain age to learn and handle things myself. And while my parents knew that it would be much easier for me to join politics over wanting to become an actor as no one from my family had done that, they were always supportive towards me. My father doesn't say much, but he has always been there for me. He has never discredited me for choosing this profession or put a time frame for me to be successful. He always says, 'Take your time and learn whatever you can.' He has not made me very comfortable as he does not want me to become complacent, but is still my biggest security.
How different is Bollywood from politics?
People are always judging in both as both are public personalities. They both have power, name, fame and people's admiration and responsibility towards society. The difference is that while in films, you can have friends, in politics, there are no friends.
What do you like the most about Arpita?
She has her opinions and is strong-headed and is not a typical Indian girl and that is good for me. She knows so much about the world and she is my backbone. I love that she is crazy and is more like a guy. She is very caring and that is something she shares with Salman bhai. She is fine and likes to pretend that she is difficult, which she is not. She is selfless and that is very important as I am very selfish. I am a very difficult person to be with. I am very impatient. If I want to do something, I want to do it. I tend to get bratty with her as she pampers me. I was leading a complete bachelor's life before her, where nothing was organised. I can't talk to my father about movies, but with Arpita I can talk about anything. We love each other because we are friends. I sometimes even call her bro. It's like sitting with a guy friend and not being judged. She is also very overtly-protective about me.
Do you have a favourite member in her family?
I have a different equation with each of them, but I have spent a lot of time with Sohail bhai as we used to go to the same gym and I have known him even before I knew Arpita.
Any special memory for you from your wedding celebrations?
What was most special was when they finally announced that she was officially Mrs Sharma
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