Kartik Aaryan: In a position to choose from better projects today

Kartik Aaryan

For those who thought Sonu Ke Titu Ki Sweety's success was nothing more than a stroke of luck, Kartik Aaryan - with Luka Chuppi - has proven that he has earned his place in the spotlight. His latest release has witnessed the actor's highest opening numbers so far and is racing towards the Rs 50-crore mark.

Currently shooting in Delhi for Imtiaz Ali's next with Sara Ali Khan, Aaryan tells mid-day that the euphoria is yet to sink in. "It feels great that after Sonu..., Luka Chuppi too has worked at the box office. More than the numbers, I wanted to break the mould as an actor. I wanted to go beyond my bromantic image and do something new with this film. It was earlier called Mathura Live, and the script was so strong that I was bowled over in the first narration itself. Laxman sir [Utekar, director] and Rohan [Shankar, writer] made a hilarious product."

While he may have struck a chord with the audience, Aaryan's frothy romantic comedies - including the Kriti Sanon-starrer - have rarely won critical acclaim. But the actor insists that he, in his capacity, has tried to back content he believed in. "Even when I didn't have too many options at the beginning of my career, I tried doing films that were content-driven and commercial. There have been successes and failures, but thankfully, now I have reached a position where I can choose from better options. Post the success of Sonu..., Luka Chuppi was my first test and I'm grateful that Guddu [his character] has been accepted. These two characters have given me a sense of validation."

For now, the youngster has his plate full with the Ali-directed project, Pati, Patni Aur Woh (1978) remake and the Anees Bazmee venture. Tight-lipped on Ali's film, he admits that his look in the Mudassar Aziz-directed remake is a far cry from his on-screen avatars so far. "I play a middle-class man from Lucknow. I am excited that now, filmmakers are able to see me in a new light."

Also Read: Kartik Aaryan gets mobbed by fans at Gaiety Cinema, see photos

Catch up on all the latest entertainment news and gossip here. Also download the new mid-day Android and iOS apps to get latest updates