UAE: After 6 blockbuster hits, Kartik Aaryan breaks down the art of the '100-crore' film

The size of his posters may keep getting bigger (though, it doesn’t get bigger than the Burj Khalifa!), the paycheck may get heftier, and another supercar might get added to his list of Lamborghinis and McLarens with every 100-crore* hit that he delivers. But at the heart of his roaring success, Kartik Aaryan still remains a boy from India’s small town, Gwalior.

Apparent in the conversations he has with people around him, the way he greets his fans, and the humility with which he carries himself—unperturbed by the fact that his latest film, Bhool Bhulaiyaa 3, has hit it out of the park with a worldwide box office collection of over 250 crore (Rs 2.5 billion) at the time of our chat, and counting.

Recently in Dubai, the actor visited the Khaleej Times office to celebrate his glorious run in cinemas, charting new heights from being the proverbial “outsider” to Bollywood’s lucky charm. The journey is always fraught with challenges, but Kartik makes it look oh-so-easy. Yet, the question remains: Is it lonely at the top? In his latest conversation, he delves into the recipe for being a “hitmaker” and why men’s mental health remains an important topic for male artistes to address in the industry.

You’ve delivered six clean 100-crore hits so far, 3 of them have been post-pandemic, where filmmakers across the globe have struggled to pull audiences to the cinemas. What’s the secret sauce?

Honestly, I just concentrate on my work, and I hope it reaches more and more people. Since the pandemic, I’ve been fortunate to have a great mix of films—be it Bhool Bhulaiyaa 2, Bhool Bhulaiyaa 3, Chandu Champion, Freddy, or Satyaprem Ki Katha. All these projects came at the right time, and I’ve truly enjoyed this entire run. I don’t know if there’s a secret sauce—it’s just that I’m fully invested, giving 200 per cent to every character and every project I choose.

If 100 crores was a dish and you were the chef, what would the recipe look like if you could come up with one?

Maybe it’s like aloo chaat (popular Indian street food)! Aloo (potato) is something that everyone likes and blends in with every dish—for the masses and the classes, you know? So, that would be the dish.

What are the qualities you feel are essential to create that mass appeal?

I think it’s the reliability quotient. Everything has to have that element where people can see themselves in the story, at some level. If I look at my films—Sonu Ke Titu Ki Sweety, Luka Chuppi, Pati Patni Aur Woh—they all connect with audiences because of that.

They have so many options now because of OTT platforms, where they can pause, switch off, and switch on whenever they want. To compete with this, if you want to bring people to theatres, you need to offer something that requires community viewing. I hope that my films are like that—films people want to see in theatres, with their families, in large numbers.

In this movie, you also brought back Vidya Balan, who was the highlight of Bhool Bhulaiyaa 1. How was it working with her? Were you taking notes on set?

I loved working with her. She’s so much fun and brings such a ball of energy to the set. She’s so open, always chatting, and super down-to-earth—no airs about being Vidya Balan. I feel so fortunate to work with such talented people and see them perform in front of me. It allows me to learn and absorb so much from them.

With your hook steps going viral, tell us, was Madhuri Dixit your dance teacher on set?

(laughs) No, but we had a few sessions in between, which I really enjoyed. She’s someone I didn’t expect to be so easy to talk to. It felt like we were back in college, studying together, chit-chatting, and gossiping. It was just such a relaxed vibe on set, with nobody acting like a “name”.

Hustle Culture

From your social media, it seems like you never sleep. First, tell us if you do sleep, and how do you keep up with all this?

I’ve not slept in a month (laughs). I don't know. Sometimes, I feel as though 24 hours aren’t enough. It's all about work. When it comes to my life, I'm thinking, eating, drinking, sleeping—just thinking about my work. I always want to do more. It's what keeps me going—the energy and the excitement to keep doing more.

Do you not find the need to disconnect at any point?

Maybe now, because of the kind of result we've gotten from the film, I'm hoping to get some rest before starting my next project. I feel like I need at least some “me” time, to disconnect. Right after Chandu Champion, I dove straight into Bhool Bhulaiyaa 3's set, and then it was released. So, I definitely need that break now. Maybe, I’ll go on a solo trip.

Men & Mental Health

What does success mean to you, coming from where you did?

Success? It’s very relative. At first, success meant getting an opportunity to act in a film. Then, coming to Mumbai was a big success at one point in life. For me, getting my first big hit was success. Getting a relaunch with Sonu Ke Titu Ki Sweety, so that people would know my name—that was success. Stamping those successes with other films, again, was success. Your aims and goals keep changing with time. I may have been aiming for certain things five years ago, but I wouldn’t be aiming for the same things now. Success can mean many things, but it is never permanent, so you should not get too attached to it.

• Vidya Balan on dance face-off with Madhuri Dixit in 'Bhool Bhulaiyaa 3'