Bollywood actor and Ayushmann Khurrana's brother Aparshakti Khurana is currently ruling the headlines as a result of his stellar performance as Binod Das aka Madan Kumar in the Prime Video series Jubilee. But things were not always smooth for the Stree star. In an exclusive chat with India Today, Aparshakti recalled the time he broke down in tears after being told that he will find it difficult to climb the ladder in the entertainment industry because he is "too approachable."
Elaborating on the worst advice he got in his career, Aparshakti said, "I was discussing with someone on how to take life a little ahead. He told me, ‘Bada mushkil hoga tere liye(it's difficult for you). I asked why so he said that I am very approachable. He advised me not to talk to everyone. I went back home and cried a little because I thought this was my one plus point in life. I got emotional. I always thought being a people's person and being present in a conversation physically and mentally is my plus point. I don't want to be the person who is just physically here but mentally somewhere else. This was the most important thing for me."
Aparshakti continued, "If I am sitting with somebody, that's the most important conversation for me at that point of time. I can talk to the security guard of a building and discuss life with him and I love doing it. It is not a personal agenda that makes me a better actor. I don't have any selfish motive here. It is just the fact that I found that person interesting and good at heart. I found them simple and innocent enough to learn a thing or two so I spoke to him for two hours. So that particular person told, “Aise kaise aage badhega(How will you move ahead)."
Aparshakti said that day, the advice stung him enough that he cried over it.
Jubilee is a period drama which is set in the 1940s-50s era of the Bombay film industry. Apart from Aditi and Aparshakti, the series also stars Prosenjit Chatterjee, Sidhant Gupta, Wamiqa Gabbi, Ram Kapoor and Shweta Basu Prasad.
NDTV's Saibal Chatterjee in his review of Jubilee said this about Aparshakti Khurrana, "Aparshakti Khurrana may not at first flush seem like the right fit for the role of a mould-breaking, interloping matinee idol, but he does a fair enough job of conveying the innate dualities of the character."
Aparshakti Khurana ventured into Bollywood with Aamir Khan's Dangal in 2016. The same year, he featured in Saat Uchakkey. In Badrinath Ki Dulhania, Aparshakti co-starred with Varun Dhawan and Alia Bhatt and also worked with Sonakshi Sinha and Diana Panty in Happy Phirr Bhag Jayegi. The actor has also featured in movies like Stree, Luka Chuppi, Rajma Chawal, Bala and Pati, Patni Aur Woh.