When Karan Johar’s Dharma Productions Told Ayushmann Khurrana That They Only Work With Stars

Sushant Singh Rajput bid a final adieu to the world on 14^th June, leaving the entire nation heartbroken. He was reportedly suffering from depression and the police found medical prescriptions at his house for the same. While some are blaming Bollywood celebrities for shutting him out and ‘snatching’ work away from the talented actor, others are revisiting their initial days in the industry and how they were treated like outsiders by the self-appointed ‘gatekeepers of Hindi cinema’.

Well, amid the ongoing debate about outsiders vs insiders, an excerpt of Ayushmann Khurrana’s Cracking the Code: My Journey in Bollywood is going viral on social media. While the actor is now one of the most sought-after superstars of the industry, in this portion of his book he has recalled how filmmaker Karan Johar’s production house Dharma Productions had once told him that they work only with stars. The filmmaker had given Ayushmann his office landline number. When he called on it, the actor was stalled for the first two days until they burst his bubble and told him bluntly, “We only work with stars, and can't work with you.”

The one thing which is common between Sushant and Ayushmann is that they were both called ‘outsiders’ as they did not belong to filmy families. But they proved that they deserve to be stars with their exceptional talent and versatile performances. We hope Sushant finds peace. He may be gone, but will continue to live on in our hearts forever.

If you need support or know someone who does, please reach out to your nearest mental health specialist helplines: Aasra: 022 2754 6669; Sneha India Foundation: +914424640050 and Sanjivini: 011-24311918