Exclusive: Ayushi Khurana shares she would be conscious about posting pictures on social media in revealing outfits during Ajooni, says ‘People would comment that I should wear a suit’

In an exclusive interview with ETimes TV, "Ajooni" star Ayushi Khurana reveals her father's ultimatum to prove herself within a year or return home and find a job. Ayushi also shared her cautious approach to posting revealing outfit photos on social media, often facing comments urging her to wear traditional attire. The actress, who is currently seen in Aangan Aapno Ka as Pallavi, spoke about the challenges to prove herself in the industry, social media trolls and more.

My father said this to me ki you know you have one-year agar aapne kuch accha kuch koi acche platform pe agar aap mujhe dikhi toh hum aapko continue karne denge varna you have to come back and start your job jo aap kar rahe the. Toh us time pe I was under pressure that I have to prove ki mai kar sakti hu ya agar nahi. So, I had to do what I was doing. But my mom was always there. She was like, no, take your time. Papa is saying it like that. She inspires me a lot. So, she has always given me full support. She never put any pressure on me. So, I never felt that pressure. And shows too, after Mann Sundar, Ajooni happened. After Ajooni, Aangan Aapno Ka show. It's God's grace that after one show, I keep meeting others and I kept working.

Sometimes I feel like I need a break because it's too tiring. You don't get any off or anything every day you have to work it's a 12-hour shift. It's too difficult and it affects your health a lot too. But still, I think this is my dream and I'll have to struggle a lot to get somewhere where I want to be.

I think everyone has that time in their life when you just want to take a break and go somewhere, and relax. But no, there’s a dream to fulfill. Like my mom’ dream was to see me on-screen. She would watch Yeh Rishta Kya Kehlata Hai and looking at Hina Khan, she used to say, you know, I want to see you there as a main lead. So I think to fulfill that dream, you have to struggle. And this is the time to struggle. Maybe after a few years, I won't have to struggle that much. Maybe after a few years, I can say that I don't want to work for so many hours, I don't have to work for so many days. But to reach that stage, I think I have to struggle now.

When I was doing Ajooni, I had this fear. How will the next show be? What will happen? But I've realized this, the more you think, the more pressure you get in your mind. So just go with the flow. If one doesn't work, then the other will. It's not necessary that you have to do it back to back. I didn't even think about this. As soon as Ajooni ends, I'll go and give an audition on the same day. But I was not expecting that I would do this show. But I got this show. So I feel that that thing should not affect me. Otherwise, of course, you will get demotivated. You will not be able to do anything. And you will take a lot of stress. If you get time in between, then you can always do things you want to do. Like if I get time, then I join dance classes. There's this class I wanted to do in Pondicherry. I did that. But I didn't get the time. I got this show directly. So you can do a lot to groom yourself. There is a lot of work in the world. If you are a good actor and hardworking, then of course you will get a job.

Yes, actually. Not now, but it used to happen a lot during Ajooni’s time. Before the show ended, it happened that if I posted a picture wearing a Western outfit or something revealing, I used to get a lot of comments that ‘you don't look good like this, wear a suit’, ‘you look good as Ajooni’. So, I feel that you don't know who is Ayushi Khurana. Ayushi Khurana is not Ajooni. So, as Pallavi, she would wear western, she has worn it from the beginning. I didn't wear it in Ajooni. So, I think now people try to accept me as Ayushi. They saw me in Ajooni as Sati Savitri, a very Sushil daughter-in-law and thought I would be the same in real life. No, I also party. I also wear small clothes. I like to wear it. So, those people don't accept it easily. It takes time. So, a lot of comments came suddenly. Then I felt that I shouldn't post. But then... My friends were like chill yaar.

Maine toh normally daala ki profile mein aapke sabkuch hona chahiye. Saree se leke, suit se leke is what I feel. Mujhe sirf TV hi nahi karna hai, mujhe aur bhi platforms pe kaam karna hai. Toh uske liye bhi mujhe aapna profile accha banana padega. Toh wo soch ke maine kuch photoshoot karaye the maine post kiye the, maine. It's not necessary that every person likes you. You know, some people won't like you. Some people will like you a lot.

Cleaning is my therapy. If I have a fight with someone or I am upset with something or if I am angry, then I start cleaning. I will empty my cupboard and fold my clothes again. I will do the cleaning properly. I will clean the bathroom properly. And my sister and all my friends are like, ‘what happened to you? What are you doing?’ So I think it's kind of a therapy only. You know, keep yourself busy. Because if you sit idle and keep thinking about it, it will make you go crazy. So just keep yourself busy, do your work and then maybe after some time you'll be relaxed and calm.