A hit film is important for everyone, asserts Kartik Aaryan

What kind of compliments are you getting for your performance in Freddy?

The critics have said that I've given my career best performance in Freddy. On social media, netizens have showered me with so much praise that some have compared my dark act to Shah Rukh Khan from Darr, and some have said that the tone of my character was similar to that of Joaquin Phoenix in The Joker. The compliments are always a cherry on the cake.

Tell us the most challenging thing about playing a psychopath in Freddy...

The most challenging thing about playing Freddy was to understand his world. From learning small nuances of how he would react if someone complimented him to how he would slowly do a happy-dance, all these things were challenging.  Shashanka sir and I built the character on the basis of our research or from the understanding of the psychology of such people.

You proved your defamers wrong with the success of Bhool Bhulaiyaa 2… How important was this hit for you?

To be honest, a hit film is important for everyone. For the film to be successful was not to prove a point to anyone, but it was for personal satisfaction for the actor in me. It was my first big screen release post pandemic and the film was a total family entertainer. I had a certain confidence in this film. I knew it would work but the situation of the theatres was making us all nervous. But the film opened hugely and went on to do way better than we had even imagined. 

You're succeeding while others are struggling. What do you think you've done differently?

I can’t say what I have done is  right and what others have done is wrong. I can just say that I am very instinctive with the scripts I choose on the basis of what I feel I would want to watch as an audience. Bhool Bhulaiyaa 2 even on paper was so interesting that I was super keen to do it, plus it's such an iconic franchise. I am glad it worked so well and audiences still continue to give love to the movie and my character. And Freddy was a shocker of a script for me also and luckily that's how it also came out for the audience. 

Shehzada has you in a breezy action avatar. How important is it to reinvent in order to survive?

I personally believe that to reinvent yourself and do something different is important for an actor. We always have to adjust ourselves into the character’s mould and not the other way round. The audience can get bored watching you play one kind of a role. So to keep surprising the audience by pushing my boundaries and exploring something new with every film is my motto. 

How difficult is it to survive without belonging to a camp?

The industry overall is a challenging game for everyone and as an outsider, it just gets tougher at times. There is that constant struggle to get your first big break, but it doesn't just stop there either, you then have to struggle for your second and third project too. But, I am not complaining. I feel like I am where I am today, because of my journey and my experiences. Of course, it's not wrong to say that I might have got easier access to certain projects or films maybe with some backing, but in the end you can only be successful if the people, the audience accept you and I am extremely blessed and grateful to say that I have one of the best fans. They are so loyal and loving and have always supported me throughout my journey. 

From a starry-eyed boy from Gwalior to a Bollywood heartthrob, what has changed and what has remained unchanged about Kartik?

To be honest, nothing has changed for me as a person. I am doing what I love now, and living my dream. But inside the house, everything is still the same, my mother is still strict with me and still shouts at me for the same reasons that she used to earlier, and my sister and I still fight like kids. I am still called Koki by my loved ones – but the only difference is that there are a lot more people who love me now. (Laughs) I have also always loved attention so I am getting a lot more of that now.

Dhamaka was about how ambition can control your life. How difficult is it to maintain your sanity in an ambition-driven industry?

Ambition can drive one insane… It can change someone drastically. So it is very important to keep giving yourself reality checks and to have your family or loved ones around to remind you just where to draw the line between ambition and insanity when you can’t see it for yourself. And I have never let success get to my head because coming from the outside and building your way up, one learns to not get too comfortable at any spot, whether low or high because change is inevitable. And I am just enjoying doing such interesting and different work, surprising my audiences and giving back some of that love- that is all I focus upto and nothing beyond that. 

What can we expect from your upcoming films?

Talking about my upcoming films, well all I can say is that I have carefully picked every film of mine, keeping the audience’s taste in mind. I have always made sure that the movies I star in, are ones that I would want to watch as an audience. The genre of my films can differ – it can be action, comedy, romance but the core is always entertainment and good storytelling. So yes, you can expect more entertainment from my forthcoming films and make sure to keep the audiences flowing to the cinema halls.