Mumbai, Apr 20 (IANS): On the seventh anniversary of the release of his maiden film "Vicky Donor" on Saturday, actor Ayushmann Khurrana says the success of the movie on sperm donation, allowed an "outsider" like him in the film industry to dream big.

"First film is always your most special one. 'Vicky Donor' has given me so much love that I will be forever indebted to the film and my director Shoojit Sircar. It was the start of my cinematic journey and it made me learn a lot and shaped me as an artiste," Ayushmann said in a statement.

"The film's incredible success gave an outsider like me, a sense of confidence that I can afford to dream and maybe dream big. It was a pleasure to meet and get to know the entire cast and crew of this brilliant film and I thank Shoojit-da (director Shoojit Sircar) for his belief in me."

Ayushmann was noticed as a versatile performer first in this film. Along with his acting, Ayushmann wowed the audience with his singing skills through the song "Paani da rang".

"'Vicky Donor' made me express myself as an actor and a singer and the success of the film and the song empowered me to explore and experiment as an artiste. It was a humbling experience and one of the most important chapters of my life," he said.

The actor has since carved a niche for himself in the industry with projects like "Dum Laga Ke Haisha", "Bareilly Ki Barfi", "Shubh Mangal Saavdhan", "Badhaai Ho" and "AndhaDhun".