Kartik Aaryan Tells It Like It Is

Kartik Aaryan on love, rumours and reality… in a candid chat with Anuradha Choudhary

- Anuradha Choudhary

If there’s one actor, whose success story is the stuff of blockbusters, it’s definitely Kartik Aaryan. The young boy from Gwalior, went through an extended struggle to make it at the movies. But once he did, the outsider received immense love and recognition. Good looks mixed with talent and a humble persona has made him the poster boy of millennials. A determined Kartik balanced attending engineering lectures with giving auditions till he finally made his acting debut with Pyaar Ka Punchnama (2011). The small-town boy was on his way to realise his big dreams. His popularity soared with Pyaar Ka Punchnama 2 (2015) and Sonu Ke Titu Ki Sweety (2018) – his lover boy charm having a pan-India appeal. His latest release Love Aaj Kal won him praise for his double-take while Pati Patni Aur Woh is yet another super hit in his profile. With biggies like Anees Bazmee’s Bhool Bhulaiyaa 2 and Karan Johar’s Dostana 2 in the pipeline, there’s no denying that Kartik Aaryan has slalomed into the elite showbiz club…

LOVE AAJ KAL DIDN’T DO AS EXPECTED. WHAT DID IT TEACH YOU?

Love Aaj Kal has been a journey like no other. Imtiaz Ali sir changed me as an actor. He’s a Sufi in his outlook. Playing two characters in a film could have been difficult. But he made it easy. For both my characters, Veer and Raghu, we had separate body language classes. I had to lose 10 kilos for Raghu, who’s in school. I had to be lanky while shooting those portions. Through conversations, through workshops, through his direction, I learnt a lot from him. Every day was a new learning.

ARE YOU ROMANTIC IN REAL LIFE AS IN YOUR FILMS?