'We Don't Audition Outsiders and Newcomers': Ayushmann Khurrana Recalls 2007 Karan Johar Call That Went Nowhere

From Radio Jockey to Rejection Story

Before he became a recognised Bollywood actor, Ayushmann Khurrana was working as a radio jockey and looking for a way into the film industry. That search produced one of his most memorable early setbacks, which he recounted on the chat show Koffee With Karan.

The episode in question dates back to an awards ceremony in 2007. Khurrana, then an RJ, met Karan Johar — one of the first celebrities he had interviewed — and, hoping to chase his acting ambitions, asked the filmmaker for his contact number.

What he received was a landline number. He called the following morning, and the response left him disappointed.

'We Don't Audition Outsiders and Newcomers'

Recalling the conversation, Khurrana said the person who answered the phone made the production house's position clear.

"I was like, 'Can I have your number? I want to be an actor.' You gave me a landline number. The next morning, when I called the number and asked to speak to Karan Johar, the person on the other line said, 'We don't audition outsiders and newcomers' or something like that."

The experience became a defining part of Khurrana's early attempts to establish himself in the entertainment industry.

Johar: 'I Gave You the Right Number'

Johar offered his own reading of the incident during the same conversation. Responding to Khurrana's recollection, he said:

"I gave you the right number. That was very sweet of me! I must've thought that you have potential."

Khurrana, however, pointed out that the exchange had not helped him reach the filmmaker personally. Johar then asked why the actor had not spoken about the experience earlier. Explaining his approach to public conversations, Khurrana said he had to be careful about what he shared.

"When I was an RJ, I could be myself completely and freely say whatever was on my mind."

Khurrana most recently appeared in Udta Teer, a spy comedy that also features Sara Ali Khan.