Interview | Ayushmann Khurrana and Tahira Kashyap on how their relationship has evolved over the years

Ayushmann Khurrana and Tahira Kashyap’s love story started when they were in school and has spanned over the last two decades. They admit to being madly in love with each other even now. Over the years, both of them have influenced each other on the professional front too. While Tahira is her husband’s harshest critic, Ayushmann has produced her short film Toffee. When we meet the high school sweethearts, they behave just like any other couple. They laugh, fight and make some candid confessions about each other. Read on...

You are an author and have been associated with theatre too. So, what prompted you to make a short film?  

Tahira: I was pretty lost in life. I dabbled in many jobs but one thing that remained constant was writing. It took me a little while to understand my calling but I guess it’s never too late. When I wrote the script, I narrated it to Ayushmann who said we should make it. Then, Mukesh Chhabra came on board too. Getting a validation from a third party always makes you more confident. That’s how Toffee was made.

Ayushmann: In early 2000, we had a theatre group for which Tahira used to write scripts and also helm plays. I was always confident of her as a thinker, writer and a director. I’m happy that she’s finally done it now.

Why didn’t you make a film with Ayushmann?

T: He can do everything. Will you be my boy? (Laughs out loud)

A: (Laughs) I feel there’s a simmering or dormant feminist in her and she likes to write about female characters. I don’t know where I can fit in but she’s written a few scripts which are actually women-centric.

T: I really wanted to break this image in his head. I’m very passionate about human beings and that involves both men and women. The scripts which I’ve written lately are women-centric but I would like to do a film where there can be a hero, too! Also, I’m very new to this profile so I don’t want to bog him down with any kind of hindrance. Whatever is coming to me naturally is transcending into scripts. The best part about him being a partner is I never have any kind of pressure. He listens to everything with so much zest and earnestness as if it’s his own script without being in it. Guess that’s the artiste in him who speaks out.

A: I’m just a good listener, which is how our marriage is also intact (laughs).

T: Rubbish (smiles)!

A: When I was contributing to your paper as a columnist, she had helped me out for the first couple of columns. Then I got the hang of it and started writing on my own.

T: He just wanted to make this confession!

A: Yeah, it’s the monkey in my bag that I just wanted to pull out. I had to tell somebody (laughs)!

Your love story has been interesting, too. How did the two of you meet?

T: We would go to the same Physics class and I had a crush on Ayushmann. I never thought we’d talk. Also, in Chandigarh, if a girl is slightly good looking, the boys keep hounding her. In most cases, it’s like harassment. But he didn’t approach me throughout the year and I was like, here’s one guy who isn’t troubling me.

A: Kissi ne mujhe kabhi palatke hi nahin dekha (laughs)!

T: Rubbish! I got good vibes from him. Our parents were friends and they invited us to dinner. Aur inka ghar bahut zyada filmy tha. There was this huge Kabhi Khushi Kabhie Gham portrait of him, his mom, dad, and his brother. My friend and I wanted to know how we would fare in the exams since his dad is an astrologer. Then he came and bowled me over with a song.

A: Her father is a great singer, so he sang first and then I joined him.

Which song was that?

A: Hamein tumse pyaar kitna!

How did life change post marriage?

T: We actually got off the braces and spectacles together. We went through adolescence, puberty, and becoming a man and woman. He has grown into a great human being. He did have some idiosyncrasies. When we were in college, he was like, ‘Dekho, after marriage, you will not work.’ And I laughed. From that to being a producer is a long journey.

A: There was no exposure and you saw what you saw, which was why I said that.

How has your relationship evolved?

A: Shah Rukh Khan had once said ‘Pyaar dosti hai’ and I believe that. Tahira and I have been great friends since Class 12. So that dosti evolved into a relationship and finally culminated into marriage, which has lasted because of companionship more than anything else. You discover each other emotionally and physically but if you are not friends, it won’t survive for too long.

T: We’re also very passionate about each other’s lives and careers. If there’s any script, he will bounce it off to me first. I would read it and share my feedback. He does the same with my scripts.

A: She was the first person to whom I confessed that I wanted to become an actor.

T: I couldn’t believe it. I started laughing. Which is why I married him because I thought yeh toh kabhi actor banega hi nahin. I didn’t support him initially.

Are you also his harshest critic? Which are your favourite and worst films of his?

T: He has started looking good now. With every film, his acting skills are also getting honed. But, yes, I’m his harshest critic. I didn’t like Hawaizaada. I think from the director’s point of view. He had something that prompted Ayushmann to feel for the film and invest his time and energy in it. So, he did the movie. Nobody put a gun to his head. Having said that, success or failure is not in his hands.

A: Yes, I was the worst in that film. Let’s leave it at that.

T: Among my favourites, I really like Dum Laga Ke Haisha. I also love Meri Pyaari Bindu.

What are your complaints with each other?

A: Every bathroom in the house has hooks and she will put one dress on each of them. There won’t be any space for me to hang my clothes. That’s the only irritating habit she has.

T: This is so silly. I want him to help me in the kitchen and cut cucumbers but he refuses.

A: After shooting when you go home...

T: (Cuts in) No, I’m talking about on a Sunday. Also, he never books tickets.

A: I just can’t go online to book tickets. I’m okay if someone books movie tickets and I’ll go happily.

T: I want him to take the onus to take me out somewhere. I don’t want to be micromanaging everything. But he’s like, ‘You book tickets, I’ll go. You book the table, we’ll go for dinner.’ Yeh kya baat hui?

A: The idea is to spend time together. It doesn’t matter who’s booking the table.

How often do you guys fight?

T: As often as now (laughs).

A: I’m the one who makes up first. I believe in forgive and forget.

Who is stricter with the kids?

T: I’m stricter.

A: I’m all mush!

One thing you would like to change about each other...

A: She’s perfect. She’s made me a better human being and converted this uncouth small town guy into a gentleman. But, I still have a long way to go.

T: I, too, wouldn’t like him to change at all. Each one of us has our own imperfections and that’s endearing. We shouldn’t be replicas, we should have arguments and respect the differences too.

Do you feel uncomfortable about his intimate scenes in films?

T: The first time he got intimate with a girl on screen, I was sitting with a big baby bump. I felt really odd but I’ve changed a lot over the years. I just look at it as a scene now. But that wasn’t the case eight years ago.

A: When we saw Vicky Donor together for the first time, she walked out of the film. She was holding my hand and suddenly my intimate scene with Yami Gautam came on screen, and she let go of my hand. I followed her out of the theatre and we started arguing. It was that crazy. But now, she understands the space of an artiste.