After a successful OTT debut with Dhamaka where he surprised his fans in an entirely new genre, Kartik Aaryan is all set to take on versatile roles with a mixed bag of films in 2022. The last year ended on a great note for the actor who gave his career’s best performance in the gritty drama Dhamaka, with praise pouring in from all quarters.
With a superhit track record, 5 of the most anticipated films are riding on the actor in 2022 including Freddy with Shashanka Ghosh, a romantic thriller packed with twists and turns at every corner, Hansal Mehta’s Captain India, where he steps into the shoes of a pilot, Bhool Bhulaiyaa 2 an iconic horror comedy franchise, Shehzada with Rohit Dhawan, where he plays the world’s poorest prince and Sajid Nadiadwala’s untitled next, to be directed by the National award winning filmmaker Sameer Vidwans!
Says Kartik , “I feel incredibly blessed. The last year was a major turning point in my career. I’m raring to go in 2022 and take on some exciting roles, all of which are radically different from one another. My goal is to keep learning, keep growing, keep pushing and I hope to have the support of my fans every step of the way.”
Kartik is a big-screen star. Would he have preferred Dhamaka in cinemas?
Replies the actor, “Dhamaka was filmed amidst the pandemic when shooting regulations were very strict and we managed to do it in a record-breaking time in mere 10 days. So when the team came on board our main purpose was to make a thrilling film which centres around a TV reporter amidst the tension in the city. Thankfully in the past one year, OTT has become a huge medium for content and hence when the film was ready we were relieved that we have a medium where now everyone can enjoy a film in safe premises. The makers took a digital route for this one and clearly there are no regrets.”
Kartik admits to feeling gratified by the response on OTT to Dhamaka. “I receive messages at 4 am and so about people praising the film and my performances, people mention me on social media at wee hours as they have just finished watching a film. So the audiences praising you and your performance round the clock is an experience never felt before.”
But that collective thrill of an audience huddled in a theatre was missing? Did Kartik miss that ? “No, Dhamaka would have received similar appreciation in theatres because the screen size can change but audiences don’t change and what they like in big screen they like it on their phones and TV screens too. Hence it will never be OTT or theatres… it’s OTT and theatres. There is a new medium and it doesn’t replace anything else hence both will co-exist and both will entertain audiences simultaneously.”
Interestingly, despite being an industry outsider with no film connections, Kartik has become a household name today owing to his dedication to hard work and his golden run at the box-office has made him a powerhouse performer to reckon with.
