During his struggling days in Mumbai, Kartik Aaryan shared a flat with 12 other aspiring actors. And he used to cook for his flatmates to earn money.
From 'Pyaar Ka Punchnama' in 2011 to 'Bhool Bhulaiyaa 3' in 2024 - Kartik Aaryan has undoubtedly grown to be too big a phenomenon in Bollywood now. And as they say, you may love him or hate him, but can never ignore him. You may complain that the actor is repetitive and lacks range, but you cannot deny that he has a certain (and quite magnetic) screen presence that audiences just adore. You may argue that he is following the same formula as Akshay Kumar did back in the 2000s, but you have to agree that he brings his own style and energy to the table, making it his own. And you may also feel that he capitalizes on the sentiment surrounding his 'outsider' status, but there's obviously no denying that he is an outsider who made it big. Of course, luck has been in his favor, but he has also worked hard - really hard actually - to carve out a niche in the industry. He received Rs 70,000 for his debut film, and now his fee ranges between Rs 30 crore and Rs 50 crore. This is immensely inspiring, and more importantly, proves that resilience and determination can outshine pedigree at any time. Moreover (and this sets him apart from all his contemporaries), he has successfully developed a connection with his fans beyond the theatres. There's a sense of genuineness (feels like he is one of us) in him that resonates with everyone - from kids to college-goers to the elderly. And his journey gives us hope, assuring us that we, too, can achieve our dreams sooner or later!
Credit: kartikaaryan
Born on November 22, 1990, Kartik Aaryan turns 34 today. On this occasion, we share an interesting fact about him that you probably didn't know.
Yes, just like all other 'outsiders', Kartik Aaryan also had to face hardships before getting his first break. In Mumbai, he used to live in a 3 BHK flat with 12 other guys. In his words, "I used to live in a flat with 12 guys in the beginning. There would be 4 boys in one room. Someone wanted to be a writer or director, but most of us wanted to be actors. In the first year, none of my housemates knew that I was there to become an actor. They thought I was in Mumbai to intern. I had told them I was doing a biotech internship at Kokilaben."
And well, quite interestingly, he used to cook for his flatmates to earn money. As the 'Chandu Champion' actor later shared, "I used to cook bread omelet, sada dosa, bread pakodas, and coffee and tea as well. If I wasn't an actor, I would have become a bawarchi. I can cook all Indian dishes like sabzi, dal, rice, roti... Earlier my rotis were not perfect but I learned by observing my mom. She used to teach my sister and I picked up the nuances. Even today, when I throw a party for my friends, I treat them to delicacies prepared by me."
Notably, Aaryan himself is quite a foodie. His favorite dishes include jeera rice, Sindhi curry, pav bhaji, chhole bhature, gajar ka halwa, and gulab jaamun.
Making it big in Bollywood, especially when you don't have backing, requires lots of struggle. During his initial days, Aaryan used to travel for 2-2.5 hours from Belapur to Andheri or Bandra for auditions. He didn't get any major work for three years, but never gave up even after facing continuous rejections. In his words, "There are certain ground rules that one has to follow to make sure that the journey is smooth. Like a horse with blinders on, I was only focused on my goal and worked hard towards that. I knew beforehand that the struggle would be massive. But when you really are a part of that struggle, one has to be patient and determined at all times."
Kartik Aaryan in 'Pyaar Ka Punchnama'
He finally made his debut with the 2011 film, 'Pyaar Ka Punchnama'. But the struggle was still far from end. In his words, "Once you get a break, the struggle doesn’t end. Despite having Pyaar Ka Punchnama grabbing so many eyeballs and people recognizing me as the Monologue Guy… it wasn’t easy even then. The struggle to make sure that people see the potential in me and so do the makers, continued."
From the director of #PyaarKaPunchnama series... First look poster of Luv Ranjan's #SonuKeTituKiSweety... Stars Kartik Aaryan, Nushrat Bharucha and Sunny Singh... Produced by TSeries and Luv Films... Release on 9 Feb 2018 to coincide with Valentine’s Day [14 Feb 2018]… Poster: pic.twitter.com/LDb5gtqJQd
— taran adarsh (@taran_adarsh) December 14, 2017
Credit: taran adarsh
He went on to appear in films such as 'Akaash Vani', 'Kaanchi: The Unbreakable', and 'Pyaar Ka Punchnama 2'. Finally, in 2018, Luv Ranjan's 'Sonu Ke Titu Ki Sweety' turned out to be his breakthrough. And in 2022, he reached an unprecedented height with 'Bhool Bhulaiyaa 2'.
Happy Birthday, Kartik. Thanks For Inspiring Us
