Kartik Aaryan’s blockbuster year: Actor on his big hit Bhool Bhulaiyaa 3 and why Dubai is his lucky charm

The actor, who arrived hours late for this interview, makes up for it with his earnestness

Dubai: When it comes to tardiness, Bollywood icon Shah Rukh Khan is notorious for making the press wait for hours. But there seems to be a new contender in town. Say hello to Bollywood’s man-of-the-moment, Kartik Aaryan, who arrived fashionably late for our interview in Dubai —three hours late, to be exact.

Laughing it off and looking suitably contrite, the 33-year-old star blamed a new driver who “just went round and round.” The generic excuse about gnarly traffic was also bandied about. 

When I asked, "So you saw a bit of Dubai today?" he chuckled. “I saw all of Dubai, entirely,” he said, his grin hinting at the mix of charm and mischief that he brings to both his off-screen and on-screen personas.

His bouffant hairstyle, defying gravity and bouncing with every move, made you wonder if that was the reason for this inordinate delay—or perhaps it took a little extra time to get it just right.

But this salty opening question did not dampen his enthusiasm. It’s safe to say that 2024 has been a glorious year for this self-made actor. On the heels of his critically acclaimed sports drama Chandu Champion, Kartik is now riding high on the gargantuan box-office success of his latest horror-comedy, Bhool Bhulaiyaa 3. The Diwali release is enjoying an explosive run at the box office in India and abroad, claims the actor.

“It’s made more than 150 crores [Rs 1.5 billion] in India alone!” he beamed, his pride barely contained.

With numbers like that, I had to ask him the big question: “Do you feel like a star?” Surprisingly, he shook his head, almost as if the fame hadn’t quite sunk in yet. “Not at all… It’s been a crazy, crazy ride for me, but it’s been wonderful so far.”

The UAE has become a sort of lucky charm for Kartik’s career—each visit here coinciding with one blockbuster after another. The actor reminds us that he has always made it a point to visit the UAE to drum up publicity for all his films including 'Chandu Champion' and 'Bhool Bhulaiyaa 2'

“It does have a vibe about it, and it works for me,” he said, attributing some of Bhool Bhulaiyaa 3’s magic to the city's unique energy and his loyal, warm fan base.

In the movie, which is now playing in UAE cinemas, Kartik returns as the wacky ghostbuster Rooh Baba, who takes on the mission of flushing out a vengeful ghost from an old, palatial mansion. The horror comedy also starring Vidya Balan and Madhuri Dixit along with Tripti Dimri, may have opened to mixed reviews with many critics blasting it as over-the-top and loud. But their harsh words of critique' hasn’t dampened the movie's box-office reign. Kartik, who was seen doing a lot of physical comedy, believes the unpredictable climax worked in their favour. If you peel away the comic layers, the colourful entertainer makes a strong case for inclusivity and love over greed. 

“It was a complex role for me… very different from the usual comedy films I do,” he explained, clearly proud of how far he’s pushed himself for this role. His eyes lit up when describing the spontaneous nature of filming, especially in scenes where he had to pivot between being humorous and haunted.

“We didn’t plan anything… There were no rehearsals… We just went with the natural way.” While doing comedy, this actor who's known his lengthy, verbose monologues in films, just relied on how the crew around him on a filming set reacted to the funny shots.

"I felt their pulse ... If I heard them laugh to a witty scene, I knew the jokes were landing," said Kartik.

The film, directed by Anees Bazmee, was also boosted by the presence of Bollywood’s two powerhouse performers: Madhuri and Vidya. These two compelling icons aren't purely ornaments in this film. Their roles where Vidya played a restoration expert and Madhuri played a wealthy heiress had as much heft as Kartik's character. Working with them was like heading to a college with like-minded friends, says the actor who was perenially in awe of their acting and dancing prowess.

"We used to pull each other's legs all the time ... But working with them was a dream come true. It was so surreal," said Kartik. He was so smitted by the two talents that he even turned up on sets on the days he wasn't needed. 

“Even when I did not have to shoot, I went on the set to watch both of them dance to ‘Ami Je Tomar.’ Their dance face-off was simply epic," said Kartik. 

Bhool Bhulaiyaa 3 is more than just a hit for Kartik; it’s a much-needed shot in the arm for Bollywood’s return to the big screen, especially at a time when films releasing in theatres have been struggling to find immediate success. 

“People… they’re going with groups, with families… that’s something we’re missing right now,” he noted, his tone turning reflective.

The film’s strong turnout, he hopes, signals a renewed excitement for cinema as a shared experience.

“I’m happy, in a way, but also sad that there’s this story about Bollywood or Hindi films going around where the films are not working as such… I just hope that more and more movies come and people go to the theaters and watch them, and they enjoy them,” he said.

But he isn’t willing to dwell on the negatives. 2024 has been a phenomenal year for this actor, who rose to fame from a non-acting family. He's a qualified engineer from Gwalior who landed in Mumbai, Bollywood's playground, to pursue his acting ambitions. In an earlier interview with Gulf News in 2018, Kartik revealed that he rarely attended his engineering lessons but was busy auditioning for roles in Hindi films. But those days of being a struggler are behind him.

Now, the actor -- who's on a box-office roll -- is being gifted generously by his gleeful producers. And he isn't complaining.

Kartik, who remembers being gifted a swanky McLaren by the makers after the success of Bhool Bhulaiyaa 2, believes he has got everything in life right now, including his dream car: his precious Lamborghini.

He is in a glorious phase, says the actor. His pet peeve? He claims to be his own worst critic. He tells Gulf News that he suffers from this exhausting habit of dissecting every scene that he features in, wondering how he could have done it better. Even with Bhool Bhulaiyaa 3, there were scenes that he believes could have been done more effectively. But for now, he's willing to enjoy the success of his new film.

“I have it all! It’s been a historic year for me where my work is shining and I can’t be happier! This has been my best year of my career.”

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Bhool Bhulaiyaa 3 is out in UAE cinemas now.