Actors Vivek Oberoi and Sharman Joshi were courted for the movie Vicky Donor before it landed with Ayushmann Khurrana, who was struggling for a Bollywood break at the time.
Khurrana has penned his experiences in Cracking the Code, co-written with wife Tahira Kashyap and published by Rupa Publications. The book releases on Monday.
The Hawaizaada star recounts in the book that he was heartbroken when he failed to land a supporting role in Teen The Bhai. He also missed a chance to play the second lead in Imran Khan and Sonam Kapoor film I Hate Luv Stories.
“Vicky Donor was my ticket to tinsel town. As I have mentioned before, my work on Just Dance got me noticed by Shoojit Sircar. I didn’t have to audition for this role; the script just fell into my lap.
“Not that I was their first choice. Vivek Oberoi wanted to produce and act in Vicky Donor, and they had almost signed him up, but for some reason Ronnie Screwvala, the producer, changed his mind. The role was then offered to Sharman Joshi, who politely declined it. That’s when the film came to me,” Khurrana recounts in the book.
The actor feels he was given the role because the “topic was a bit edgy, they needed an endearing character”. The Shoojit Sircar’s film dealt with the issue of sperm donation in the movie, which became a sleeper hit.
Before Vicky Donor, Khurrana was bidding his time by doing television shows as a VJ, anchor and actor. Though getting rejected for movies was disheartening, he is happy that he failed in his previous attempts.
“Sometimes you don’t get an opportunity as there is a better one waiting for you. This might sound bookish and idealistic but if Teen The Bhai or I Hate Love Stories had happened, Vicky Donor would have never happened, and this code wouldn’t have been typed out,” Khurrana writes.
The actor narrates another incident where he walked out of a Balaji show as they wanted him to sign a three-year contract.
“Joining the new show was fun but leaving Qayamat was painful; not for me, but for the producers. I remember the Balaji team kept pestering me to sign their contract if I wanted my payment of Rs150,000 [Dh8,893], which was due to me. I kept procrastinating,” Khurrana writes.
“When I left without signing the contract, I got to know that Ekta threw a fit and smashed her mobile by hurling it at the executive producer’s face,” says the actor.
