Aparshakti Khurana brings stories of love

As an RJ, singer, comedian, anchor and television host, Aparshakti Khurana wears multiple hats with elan. What remains constant in all his endeavours is his sense of humour. His laughter precedes his conversation — full-throated and happy.

After a hiatus of six years, he is back on radio to host a show called Ishq Mein Kabhi Kabhi. Launched recently on Ishq FM, the show features 24 stories on radio and six digital episodes.

The series will have Aparshakti taking listeners through an array of emotions traversing love in many forms. “This is majorly storytelling through my voice. Though they are essentially love stories, they have narratives on betrayal, heartbreaks and second chances,” he explains.

The stories, though fictional, are relatable, especially for people working in the corporate sector, says Aparshakti. “We have a story on long-distance relationships that most people can relate to. The stories are about the people around us; even the names and professions are as real as they could get.”

Aparshakti adds, “I never thought of becoming an actor. Whatever little creativity I have in me is only because of my upbringing in radio. My eight-year stint with the radio gave me the confidence to face the camera. I am happy to be back in this space.”

He bagged the lead role in Helmet, a comedy film on condoms, which released last month. His elder brother Ayushman Khurana set a trend of sorts through Vicky Donor.

“We relate to such stories though the subject is considered taboo. Even now it is awkward for many to ask for a pack of condoms at a medical store. In the times we are living in, we cannot be awkward about it,” he says.

Aparshakti adds that audiences are now drawn towards the new-age content-driven cinema. “Vicky Donor has, in a way, changed the way we see films in our country. Not only Helmet, I think the films made after that, especially by young filmmakers, are inspired by such subjects.”

As much as he enjoys his multiple roles in showbiz, Aparshakti admits it is a challenge to strike a balance. “Music requires a different kind of training, video requires a different thing. For anchoring, you have to look right into the eye of the camera and talk to it, while acting, you have to be the character and believe there is no camera and and not think about the one filming it. There is a creative base that’s common but the process is different. I have been a busy artist for the past five years and I can’t be happier. Having said that, I try to be a multi-tasker. I try to do things that make me happy and radio is one of them. Taking out time for all the creative platforms is difficult, but I make it a point to take out time to each one of them.”

The father of a three-month-old baby girl, Aparshakti is happy to forego his workouts to spend that time with his daughter. “During the pregnancy, I announced to my family that I will continue to be the baby of the house,” he signs off, breaking into his trademark hearty laugh.