Kartik Aaryan hopes ‘Shehzada’ strikes a chord with fans

Everything he touches, turns into gold. This matinee idol is consistently delivering blockbusters and his films changed the fate of cinema at a time when a lull loomed large in theatres.

If there is one man in the industry who is living the dream, then it has to be Kartik Aaryan. Having earned love and success through sheer talent with films like and , he is one of very few superstars who is delivering content and crores simultaneously.

His next release is , which is a remake of the 2020 Telugu film The film also stars Kriti Sanon, Paresh Rawal and Manisha Koirala in pivotal roles. caught up with the actor who was in Dubai recently to promote , which he promises will be a ‘full-on entertainer.’

Thankfully I don’t have any who can claim that I am what I am because of them. In my journey, there are so many people who gave me opportunities and who believed in my talent even when I was new and did not come from a film background. They are the ones who took a leap of faith, and I am happy to share my success with them.

No matter which era one belongs to, it has always been difficult to attain and maintain stardom. Years of hard work and passion are required before one reaches a level before an actor becomes a superstar. I cannot say that those who came before us had it easier, neither I can say that our time is difficult. Success has come to only those who have worked hard for it and it shows in their work as well.

I am so thankful that came my way. It was a great opportunity and wherever I go, I get asked about it. I was able to shock the audience and as an artist I would like to give my audience a little bit of an unexpected thrill. Also, as actor I would like to experiment with films that add to my filmography and did just that.

I would like to ask – why can’t OTT and Cinema survive together? It should be OTT ‘and’ cinema not ‘either-or.’ They are both great sources of entertainment. Both the mediums have brought out great talents and have shed light on actors that never got the limelight. I realized the power of OTT after started to stream on OTT. The reach was global, and your work reaches the audiences much faster.

Of course, the thrill and nervousness attached to a theatrical release have their own set of perks. But both are strong avenues for an actor and the medium really doesn’t matter these days. Your work is reaching out and that is what makes the difference.

The film surely has a lot of high voltage action scenes, and it is for the first time I have attempted it. But, also has a lot of drama and family emotions which we have not yet revealed through the trailer.

I personally love doing emotional sequences and contrary to the common belief, I am fond of emotional roles more than comedy. I love to make people cry, because if they shed a tear after watching you perform, you surely have touched them on a personal level.

I love social media but sometimes it takes away a lot of energy. It is so engaging, and you don’t even realize that you have been on it for so long. I am so addicted that it has become part of my life and I cannot even explain how that happened.

You cannot avoid that even if you want to. Allu is a huge star and he has done a great job. Comparisons will always be there and people will draw parallels.

I have done my bit in the film and I have tried to portray the role of Bantu according to my thought process. I am sure that audiences will see Kartik as Bantu.

For me what matters is that people are going and watching the film. If they wish to analyze it or dissect it, then they are most welcome to do so. I am also happy if they don’t get into it in the aftermath. But they must go and see the film. That’s what matters the most.

I think every human who has tasted success will have the fear of losing it. I am human and I also have emotions; hence, I also fear the day when there wouldn’t be applause when I enter the room and people do not remember me for my last film.

Having said that, I am willing to work two hundred percent to ensure that I am deserving of all the love that has come my way and do not take it for granted. I feel I have a very special connection with my fans and the amount of love I receive is unfathomable. I fear losing that love the most.