Bhool Bhulaiyaa 2 has made over Rs 200 crore from worldwide box office collections and is also one of the most-watched films in the non-English category on Netflix. Still, Kartik Aaryan – the film’s main man - is going on promoting the horror-comedy film, even from the sets of his next film Shehzada.
Hate him or love him, you can’t ignore Kartik. And there must be something this young actor is doing right to pull a fandom behind him. His audience cuts across families, youngsters and children, from big cities to small towns.
He may not be the best in the business when it comes to acting, physique, dance skills or comic timing, but he has a bit of everything that makes him tick the right boxes in a highly competitive industry among a truckload of talented actors and a bunch of star kids.
Kartik has been in Bollywood for about 10 years, and since his debut in Pyaar Ka Punchnama in 2011 he has grown up doing films. From his looks to his body language, he has transformed himself in a way that shows a quiet confidence. Here’s a look at some more reasons why he’s the toast this season.
Kartik Aaryan in Pyaar Ka Punchnama (left) and Bhool Bhulaiyaa 2 Facebook
His raw energy
Newcomers and star kids come over-prepared these days. On the other hand, Kartik holds a certain rawness that works for him. He never appears too tutored or trained. Combined with his boyish charm, good looks and big smile that often breaks into a laugh (yes, it reminds us of Akshay Kumar), his go-with-the flow vibe is infectious.
Oh-so-fresh among star kids
His quips, his affable attitude and his ability to go out of his way to connect with fans set him apart from the star kids who are his peers. Kartik seems to possess a natural onscreen and offscreen aura that easily endears him to audiences.
Paparazzi’s favourite
After his initial years of struggle, Sonu Ke Titu Ki Sweety’s success ushered Kartik into the Bollywood big league in 2018 where he was hobnobbing with the likes of Karan Johar. From magazine covers to hosting big film awards shows, from relationships to breakups, the Gwalior boy was everywhere until his fallout with Johar’s Dharma Productions. Kartik was the lead of Dostana 2 with Janhvi Kapoor and debutant Laksh Lalwani. When he quit the film, Dharma Productions dropped an official statement, ‘Due to professional circumstances, on which we have decided to maintain a dignified silence, we will be recasting Dostana 2.’ Kartik was silent over the entire episode, and his fans were anxious about him facing a possible ban from big production houses.
In the last season of Koffee With Karan, Sara Ali Khan had expressed her desire to date Aryan, but in the recent trailer to Season 7 of KWK, it appears that she hinted at him by saying ‘my ex is everyone’s ex’. To those not in the loop, the duo dated for a brief period and were co-stars in Love Aaj Kal 2. Something or the other keeps Kartik in news.
His viral monologues
Kartik’s monologues in Pyaar Ka Punchnama and Pyaar Ka Punchnama 2 have garnered millions of YouTube hits over the years. Besides getting viral, the monologues became a talking point for its biased take in favour of men. Despite criticism, there are many versions of them created by content creators and fans on social media. Incidentally, Kartik got his first film because he could crack the monologue in the auditions.
Social media star
Kartik has a natural flair for social media, and he is a star out there. Time and again he has claimed that he writes his own social media posts. He speaks the language of his fans and his street-smart wisecracks are a huge hit with them. In short, he is just like one of his fans.
Family guy
Kartik lives with his family in a plush apartment in Mumbai. Since the time he got a house, he brought his parents and sister from Gwalior to stay with him. His posts with his pet dog, Katori Aaryan, are a favourite of his fans.
His dream-come-true journey
Kartik, who has idolised Shah Rukh Khan and Akshay Kumar, got bitten by the acting bug when he came to Mumbai to study BTech. He would always look out for auditions on social media and travel long hours on local trains only to be turned down. Finally, after his selection in Luv Ranjan’s Pyaar Ka Punchnama, he told his parents about his decision to join films, who were shocked beyond measure as there was nobody in the family with such aspirations.
Koki Poochega
During the pandemic lockdown in 2020, Aryan did a chat series, Koki Poochega, on his YouTube channel where he interviewed frontliners from all fields in a playful manner. His distinct style made it an entertaining watch. For those who don’t know, Kartik’s mom calls him Koki.
