Kartik Aaryan exclusive: ‘I am aware of the euphoria around me’

Ahead of the release of ‘Freddy,’ Kartik Aaryan looks back on the whirlwind of the year that he has had, and what being a ‘responsible’ actor means to him

Be it the success of his horror-comedy Bhool Bhulaiyaa 2, the media hype over his personal life, or the fact that he managed to steal the show on Koffee With Karan (without even appearing on it), there is no disputing Kartik Aaryan’s stardom.

2022 has been a game-changer for the engineering graduate-turned-actor from Gwalior, who has sent Bollywood reeling with his outspoken nature, affable persona, and most importantly, his on-screen triumphs. During a year when the industry has struggled largely to make sense of what makes the box-office tick, Kartik seems to have cracked the code... in more ways than one.

After a decade of playing (mostly) the funny, rapscallion boy-next-door on-screen ( Sonu Ke Titu Ki Sweety, Luka Chuppi, Pati Patni Aur Woh) — since he first debuted with the rom-com Pyaar Ka Punchnama — the 32-year-old now taps into a new facet of his acting skills, with an experimental role in his next, director Shashanka Ghosh’s Freddy.

Playing the role of an introverted dentist who might be hiding a dark secret, the star says that he pushed his boundaries both mentally and physically for the part, which might just mark a new journey in the career of Kartik, the actor.

Excerpts from an interview:

Yes, for sure. What you’ve seen in the teasers is his journey towards entering that path. It goes from being a slice-of-life film to a dark setting with a whole new vibe. It’s a character I’ve never played before; he oscillates between black or white. The response has already been humongous to Freddy, especially since this is a genre that is not so prevalent in our films. 

People have been consuming shows and movies in this space that come from Hollywood or other countries, and I’m glad a character like this came my way here.