KARTIK ARYAN, THE MAN OF...
Taapsee Pannu, who began her journey with films like Baby and Naam Shabana has made a name for herself with womencentric films like Pink and Thappad. Another outsider Ayushmann Khurrana joined the hundred-crore club recently and won a National Award for his performance in Andhadhun. And the man of the moment is Kartik Aaryan.
The actor from Gwalior seems likely to emerge as the superstar of Gen Next. His award-winning Dhamaka, the film he was last seen in, premiered on Netflix and created a huge buzz. But when the BB2 trailer was released, comparison with the first part, starring Akshay Kumar, seemed inevitable, and there seemed no way it could match up to the stupendous success of the original. Yet, Aneeze Bazmee’s direction and his dialogues have left an indelible impression on audiences. And Kartik’s hard work is evident on screen. He performed wonderfully in the song ‘Amije tomar’ and also executed the comedy scenes extremely well. All credit to him!
KARTHIK’S JOURNEY
In a recent interview Karthik gave DC, he told us the path he walked to get where he is today was by no means easy. “Hard work…hard work…hard work. There is no short cut,” he said. “I remember, I was living in a flat with 12 other guys, and every month, one or the other of them would pack their bag and leave, losing hope of achieving success in Bollywood. But I never lost hope. My parents had instilled strength in me, and taught me that I should not leave unfinished anything that I had started. They taught me that I should work hard till I succeeded, and my aim was met.”
Looking back on those early days, he recalls, “I knew mera time aayega; and I started getting offers. I remember even after my first film I would stand in an audition queue waiting for my turn. It was only after Sonu Ki Titu… that offers started pouring in. Even today, I work as a newcomer in every film, following the orders of the captain of the ship.”
“Though I’m an outsider, when producers see how passionate I am about my work, and how that passion translates on celluloid, many feel I’m one of them. Directors and producers tend to repeat me. They discuss their next films with me. It gives me validation, and that feels good,” the actor says.
TALENT WINS
On his part, Ayushmann Khurrana says he has not faced any discrimination in the industry because of his ‘outsider’ status. “That could be because I have worked mostly with new directors,” he notes. “If after my first film, I had got the opportunity to work with a big production house and directors, maybe I would have faced it (discrimination). But all my hit films happened with first-time directors and producers who did not belong to film families. Thus we supported each other,” he explains. He is of the opinion that in these times, talent wins. “Those who are doing well are talented. I have been lucky to get good directors and writers,” he stresses.
On wanting to be cast by a big production house, Ayushman confesses, “I want to work with Sanjay Leela Bhansali, Zoya Akhtar, Rohit Shetty or Neeraj Ghewan. These are directors of very different genres. I have texted these people many times. I hope that opportunity comes my way someday.”
NOTHING BEATS HARD WORD
Nawazuddin Siddique too believes that nothing can beat hard work, whether you belong to the industry or are an outsider. “Yes, I had to struggle to reach this position. But it was the very struggle that helped me to make it,” he says. “I have struggled to find the actor in myself, and become an actor. And now, as I delve deeper, I realise creativity has no bounds, it is infinite.”
“EVEN AFTER MY FIRST FILM I WOULD STAND IN AN AUDITION QUEUE WAITING FOR MY TURN. IT WAS ONLY AFTER SONU KI TITU… THAT OFFERS STARTED POURING IN. EVEN TODAY, I WORK AS A NEWCOMER IN EVERY FILM, FOLLOWING THE ORDERS OF THE CAPTAIN OF THE SHIP. ” — KARTIK ARYAN