After an under-the-radar OTT release last December (Freddy on Hotstar), Kartik Aaryan is back in Shehzada that releases on February 17.
photo: india todayHere's his story...
Born in Gwalior in 1990, Kartik Tiwari was the son of two doctors. He went to Mumbai to pursue a biotech engineering degree from DY Patil College.
photo: netflix indiaBut he would secretly harbour Bollywood dreams, often skipping classes to attend auditions. He also tried modelling but with little success.
photo: india todayA casting call on Facebook for Luv Ranjan's romantic comedy Pyaar Ka Punchnama landed him his breakout role.
photo: imdbSome find it sexist. Some find it funny. But Aaryan's 4-minute monologue and lead performance in Pyaar Ka Punchnama put him on the Bollywood radar.
photo: tenor gifsBack when he was known as Kartik Tiwari, he debuted in Pyaar Ka Punchnama while in third year of college. The film became a sleeper hit.
photo: india todayContrary to Pyaar Ka Punchnama's reactions, his second film with Luv Ranjan (Akaash Vani) was praised for addressing male chauvinism. Sadly, the film flopped.
photo: imdbIn 2015, with Kartik Aaryan ready to pursue fulltime acting, his stardom soared with an even longer monologue in Pyaar ka Punchnama 2.
photo: imdbRoles in future hits like Sonu Ke Titu Ki Sweety (2018), Luka Chuppi (2019), Pati Patni Aur Woh (2019) prove that Aaryan is here to stay.
photo: imdbWith his movies up to 2019, critics found him funny, relatable, and an everyman's lover boy. However, they were also concerned over the sexist undertones in his movies.
photo: imdbIn 2020, Aaryan starred in Imtiaz Ali's Love Aaj Kal which flopped terribly. Aaryan was also fired from Dostana 2 due to creative differences with Karan Johar.
PHOTO: INDIA TODAYAaryan was initially criticised for replacing Akshay Kumar in Bhool Bhulaiyaa 2. But with its 2022 release, the film became a surprising success and his highest grosser.
photo: imdbIn 2021, Aaryan made his OTT debut with the Netflix thriller Dhamaka, followed by 2022's Freddy. Both films drew mixed reviews but critics praised Aaryan's range.
Photo: netflixAaryan will be seen next in Shehzada, an action drama that will also mark his debut as a producer. Luka Chuppi collaborator Kriti Sanon will star alongside him.
photo: imdbGiven that Kartik Aaryan gave one of 2022's biggest hits, surpassing even Akshay Kumar, movie offers for him are only going to increase. All eyes are on Shehzada now!
photo: imdb