Ayushmann Khurrana and Tahira Kashyap came out stronger after battling "difficult" times when she was diagnosed with cancer last year, just around the time Badhaai Ho and AndhaDhun were about to release. And that's a phase Ayushmann opened up about in his recent interview with Rajeev Masand. The 34-year-old actor revealed that they got to know about Tahira's cancer diagnosis on his birthday last year: "It was very difficult. In fact, thanks to her that she was brave enough to take that positively otherwise I would have broken, completely. Because I was in the middle of two films I was promoting AndhaDhun and Badhaai Ho. And we got to know about this on my birthday. In fact, we saw Manmarziyaan that day... we saw Manmarziyaan on September 14 and we got to know of this disease."
Sharing how Tahira Kashyap reacted to the news, Ayushmann said they decided to get through the struggle together: "She was like 'I want to just celebrate my life. I'll take it head on and we are together in this both fighting the disease and also in promoting the films.' So, it was a collective effort from both sides. But I am glad she's overcome this and as we speak she's giving a lecture on cancer, how to fight, how to combat it. She's a leader now to cancer patients and an inspiration."
Tahira Kashyap dropped the news about being diagnosed with stage zero breast cancer and undergoing mastectomy on September 22 with a post, which was the least bit morose in nature as she wrote: "I was detected with DCIS (ductal carcinoma in situ) in my right breast with high grade malignant cells. Simply put stage 0 cancer/ pre-cancerous stage, with cancer cells multiplying in a contained area. The result - I have become a half Indian version of Angelina Jolie (since only one breast was involved)! I told my doctor now is the time to give some competition to the Kardashians since Pamela is passe."
Through her months of cancer treatment and chemotherapy, Tahira Kashyap has often featured in adorable posts by Ayushmann Khurrana. He kept a fast instead of Tahira during Karva Chauth last year and even gave a shout out to Tahira on her first day of work after recovery.
Tahira Kashyap is now working on her first feature film as a director, about which Ayushmann Khurrana said in the interview: "She should take her own baby steps towards direction and her own passion in life." She made her debut as a director with the critically acclaimed short film Toffee, which released in 2017.
Tahira Kashyap and Ayushmann Khurrana married in 2008 after dating for several years. They are parents to son Virajveer and daughter Varushka.