Object of obsession: Ayushmann strikes a connect with Salvador Dalí!

With all the (free) time in hand, the lockdown has seen a number of people indulge in some or the other special activity. Ayushmann Khurrana, though, has taken to something extremely unique: he is reading up on the life and times of the iconic Spanish revolutionary artist, Salvador Dalí.

Interestingly, he got fascinated with Dalí after binge-watching the popular web show, Money Heist that has robbers wearing Dalí mask and red jumpsuit to hide their true identities. The costume, which has become a symbol of resistance and national pride, has also been used in real-life political protests. 

“This lockdown period has really fuelled my interest to learn new things,” says Khurrana. “Now, I have started reading up a lot on Dalí. Honestly, my curiosity to know about his life and works peaked when I watched the web show. That day onwards, I really wanted to know more [about him],” he adds.

For the Badhaai Ho actor, “multi-faceted and multi-talented people serve as huge inspirations.” As he puts it, “Dalí, for instance, was a man of many talents. He painted, was into graphic arts, had interest in films, sculpture, design, photography, etc. Basically, he was drawn to all things creative and I just wanted to read up on how his mind worked. I look to learn from such people’s lives.” 

Earlier this month, on Guru Purnima, Khurrana called the late singer-actor, Kishore Kumar his “biggest inspiration” and “guru.” “I’ve been very vocal about always being intrigued by Kishore Kumar too. Such icons are an institution in themselves, and have left behind so many things for us to grasp, learn and understand. I’m thoroughly enjoying learning about their lives, philosophies and beliefs,” he says.

Coming back to Khurrana’s love for Money Heist, the Article 15 actor hasn’t hidden the fact that he is extremely fascinated by the show’s character, El Professor. In fact, a few days back, Khurrana had even shared the glimpse of a piano session [of the show’s song, Bella Ciao] on his social media accounts in which he admitted that he wanted to play the part in the remake.