OT:  What does a holiday mean to you?
Ayushmann Kurrana: A chance to live! Often my work takes me places. And I make it a point to enjoy the destination—if not fully, at least in parts. I make sure that my work does not suffer, but I do spend time appreciating the joy of the place. Like when I was shooting for Dum Laga Ke Haisha in Haridwar, I’d often sit on the ghats and watch the Ganga flow by. I value my holidays: they are the times that I get to spend with myself.

OT: Your most memorable holiday…
Ayushmann Kurrana: That’s a tough one. But it’s got to be a tie between my honeymoon (which left me penniless!), and my show, Roadies, which set me on a definitive career path.

OT: What do you enjoy most on holidays?
Ayushmann Kurrana: Walkabout explorations of the place I’m in. I love being in the midst of silences too. But fame comes at a cost: I increasingly find that I can’t do that anymore. In Kuala Lumpur, I was sure people would not recognise an actor with an extra’s face, but I was walking in Chinatown and had to literally sprint back when a couple of people started yelling my name. This was despite the fact that I was wearing a hoodie! Perhaps next time, I’ll try prosthetic make-up!

OT: Who packs your luggage?
Ayushmann Kurrana: I was dreading this question. Embarrassingly, for all my love of travel, I cannot pack. Mostly, it’s my spot boy who packs my things. Or if I’m lucky, my wife will do it; sometimes I call her if I cannot find something, and then she tells me how and where it’s been packed.

OT: And what do you always carry in your luggage?
Ayushmann Kurrana: Shoes. A whole lot of them. Sometimes two pairs to go with each outfit, just so I have a choice. It’s bizarre, I know, but I do carry a lot of shoes; sometimes I carry a separate suitcase just for them, particularly if I’m staying long in one place.

OT: What do you splurge on when you’re on holiday?
Ayushmann Kurrana: Nothing much, really. I’m not a souvenir hunter at all. Experiences are more important to me. Although I do buy shoes (laughs).

OT: Some of your favourite destinations…
Ayushmann Kurrana: I like Macau: it is so colourful and alive. In India, I love the Mudumalai Wildlife Sanctuary, at the intersection of Kerala, Karnataka and Tamil Nadu. It is the most peaceful place on earth.

OT: Any destinations on your wish list?
Ayushmann Kurrana: I would love to visit Turkey and Japan.