Ayushmann Khurrana on U.S. Tour and Balancing Music With Acting: It’s ‘My Parallel Passion’ (EXCLUSIVE)

“Instant gratification” isn’t a phrase typically associated with Bollywood’s methodical star Ayushmann Khurrana — except when he’s talking about live performance. Speaking with Variety ahead of his November U.S. tour with band Ayushmann Bhava, the actor-singer opens up about his return to American stages after an eight-year hiatus.

“As an artiste, I always look forward to connecting with people who appreciate my music and movies,” Khurrana tells Variety. “I like to see their reactions first hand. I have tried, very carefully, to nurture them through my work and my efforts in reaching out to them.”

Khurrana debuted as an actor with “Vicky Donor” (2012), in which he played a sperm donor. Starting from then, he has made a point of playing diverse characters with roles that fly in the face of traditional Bollywood macho stereotypes, and the majority of them have been box-office successes.

He is also a musician who has sung in and composed for a few films. In December 2023, he told Variety that he would be taking music more seriously alongside his acting career. That has come to fruition now.

For Khurrana, who performed in college musicals before his Bollywood career, this tour represents a return to his roots. “Making music and touring is definitely one big opportunity for me to meet people, interact and engage with them while showing them who I am, what my core is, through my music,” he says. “Moreover, I have also done musicals in college, so this is like homecoming for me.”

While acting remains his primary career, Khurrana underlines the importance of maintaining multiple creative outlets. “I always wanted to be an actor, but music is my parallel passion. It is very important for everyone to have a parallel passion and I am glad that I have been gifted with the skills of songwriting, singing and performing on stage,” Khurrana says.

The tour promises an intimate experience for fans, combining music with discussions about life and poetry. “Stage will always be my first love because it is instant gratification for people when you perform,” Khurrana explains. “I want people to go through a whirlwind of emotions and tell those who couldn’t be there that they missed something special. If I could do that, my music would have touched their hearts.”

The five-city tour includes Chicago on Nov. 15, New York on Nov. 16, San Jose on Nov. 17, New Jersey on Nov. 22 and Dallas on Nov. 24.

Next up for Khurrana as an actor is horror-comedy “Thama.”