Is Kartik Aaryan the superstar of the next gen?

Growing up in the ’90s era, I saw the rise of many superstars in Bollywood ranging from Shah Rukh Khan, Salman Khan and Aamir Khan to Ajay Devgn and Akshay Kumar, to count a few. Having seen and witnessed the workings of the industry closely ever since I was a kid, I noted that Hrithik Roshan was the last actor that could be termed as a superstar. Since then, it seemed like the era of superstars is gone, but the pandemic gave a reality check on that front as the post-pandemic releases proved that there is a new star on the rise and his name is Kartik Aaryan.

For many, they might believe that one success like Bhool Bhulaiyaa 2 is not enough to term the actor as a superstar, but there are a lot of logistics at play here and his career graph over the years prove that he is indeed a superstar in the making.

 

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Starting from the beginning, Kartik might have debuted in 2011 with Pyaar Ka Punchnama and got noticed for it, but he was still the Punchnama boy for eight years and the name Kartik Aaryan was still not as prominent. But then came 2019 and Luv Ranjan’s Sonu Ke Titu Ki Sweety, a film that established that Kartik was way beyond the Punchnama series and even the industry noticed that change.

 

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That film gave Kartik the break he was looking for and he utilised it quite smartly by choosing his next projects very carefully. If SKTKS got him noticed, Luka Chuppi and Pati Patni Aur Woh strengthened Kartik’s position in the industry. The actor connected with the masses and for an outsider to do that was a big deal.

 

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Before the pandemic began, Kartik was riding high on success with many big projects in his kitty. Come the pandemic, and even he faced a little halt and was broiled in some controversies. But the actor took it all in stride and made a strong statement against those rumours with an impeccable performance in Dhamaka. He showed his range as an actor and proved that he is way more than a comedic actor.

 

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If Dhamaka showed Kartik’s range, Bhool Bhulaiyaa 2 showed his bankability. In a time when people are running to cancel Bollywood and calling it finished, the actor’s latest release proved that the Hindi films are going nowhere. It broke several records on the box-office, emerging as even Kartik’s biggest grosser. And even in its fourth weekend, Bhool Bhulaiyaa 2 is pulling in more crowds than the more recent releases.

 

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What makes this success different, unique and important is that this hit has come because of the word-of-mouth. The team associated with it has some renowned names but most of them were either coming from a bad project behind them or they were looking to make a strong footing in the industry. Even Kartik’s previous projects haven’t been associated with many big banners, filmmakers or co-stars, but they have all found a connect with the audience because of their content.

While even the biggest names in Bollywood are struggling to deliver hits, Kartik’s Bhool Bhulaiyaa 2 came as a ray of hope and maybe even a statement from the audience telling how their taste is changing. And if the current box office performances are something to go by, then Kartik is that taste at the moment.

Also Read: EXCLUSIVE: Kartik Aaryan on box office success of Bhool Bhulaiyaa 2- It has changed the way people perceive me