Kartik Aaryan

Kartik Aaryan
Born	Kartik Tiwari (1990-11-22) November 22, 1990 Gwalior, Madhya Pradesh, India
Occupation	Actor
Years active	2011–present
Known for	Hindi cinema

Kartik Aaryan (originally named Kartik Tiwari; born 22 November 1990) is a notable Indian actor predominantly appearing in Hindi cinema. Over a span of 14 years, he has earned multiple honors, including a Filmfare Award and an IIFA Award. He is often referred to as the "Shehzada of Bollywood" and ranks among India's top-grossing actors.

Aaryan made his acting debut while pursuing engineering studies with Luv Ranjan's buddy comedy Pyaar Ka Punchnama (2011). His initial performances in Akaash Vani (2013) and Kaanchi (2014) had minimal commercial impact. His breakthrough came with Ranjan’s comedic ventures Pyaar Ka Punchnama 2 (2015) and Sonu Ke Titu Ki Sweety (2018), followed by romantic comedies such as Luka Chuppi and Pati Patni Aur Woh released in 2019. Later, Aaryan diversified into thriller genres with Dhamaka (2021) and Freddy (2022), ventured into romantic drama with Satyaprem Ki Katha (2023), and received critical acclaim portraying Murlikant Petkar in the biographical film Chandu Champion (2024), which earned him the Filmfare Best Actor accolade. Among his top box office successes are the comedy horror films Bhool Bhulaiyaa 2 (2022) and Bhool Bhulaiyaa 3 (2024).

In addition to acting, Aaryan endorses various brands and has experience co-hosting award shows.

Early life and education

Born as Kartik Tiwari on 22 November 1990 in Gwalior, Madhya Pradesh, he hails from a family of medical professionals—his father, Manish Tiwari, practices as a paediatrician, while his mother, Mala Tiwari, is a gynaecologist. Kartik completed his schooling at St. Paul's School in Gwalior and pursued a biotechnology engineering degree at DY Patil University located in Navi Mumbai, Maharashtra. Despite his academic track, he harbored a secret ambition to enter the film industry. To attend auditions, he frequently skipped classes and traveled two hours each way.

During his university years, Aaryan began modelling and, after three years of unsuccessful attempts at auditions, enrolled in an acting program at the Kreating Charakters institute. He disclosed his acting aspirations to his parents only after securing his first film contract. Following the release of his debut movie, he completed his engineering degree at his mother's urging.

Initial phase and challenges (2011–2017)

While in his third year of college, Aaryan made his cinematic debut in Luv Ranjan's buddy film Pyaar Ka Punchnama (2011), where he starred alongside Divyendu Sharma, Raayo S Bakhirta, and Nushrat Bharucha. The story revolves around three young men navigating romantic difficulties. Aaryan discovered the casting notice on Facebook and was selected after six months of auditions. Due to financial constraints, he shared accommodation with twelve other aspiring actors and supported himself by cooking meals. His role featured a four-minute monologue shot in a single take, which was among the longest continuous shots in Hindi cinema at that time. Critics lauded his performance, and the film achieved sleeper hit status, earning him a nomination for the Producers Guild Film Award for Best Male Debut.

His subsequent project was Akaash Vani (2013), again collaborating with Ranjan and Bharucha, portraying lovers torn apart by an abusive relationship. The film was noted for its uncommon focus on chauvinism and the palpable chemistry between leads. Cinematographer Sudhir Chaudhary recommended Aaryan to director Subhash Ghai, who cast him in a minor role in Kaanchi (2014). Despite its brief screen time, Aaryan accepted the part to work under Ghai’s direction. Both films failed to perform well commercially, prompting Aaryan to reconsider his career choices.

In 2015, he featured in Ranjan's comedic sequel Pyaar Ka Punchnama 2, which included returning actors and new faces. This time, he delivered an even lengthier seven-minute single-shot monologue. Although criticized for its depiction of women, the movie became a significant box office success, earning over on a modest budget. For this role, Aaryan received a Stardust Award for Best Actor In A Comic Role.

In 2016, he appeared in Tanuja Chandra's short film Silvat, part of the Zeal For Unity campaign aimed at fostering cultural ties between India and Pakistan. Subsequently, he starred in the comedy Guest iin London (2017) alongside Paresh Rawal and Kriti Kharbanda, centered on a couple dealing with unwelcome visitors. Some scenes were improvised with Rawal’s involvement. The film was met with negative reviews and did not succeed commercially.

Breakthrough (2018–2021)

Kartik Aaryan achieved a significant breakthrough in 2018 with Sonu Ke Titu Ki Sweety, marking his fourth project with Ranjan and Bharucha and reuniting him with Singh. The narrative centers on Sonu (Aaryan) as he tries to separate his close friend Titu (Singh) from his fiancée Sweety (Bharucha), whom Sonu suspects of being motivated by financial gain. Although the film faced criticism for its perceived misogyny, it went on to earn , becoming the highest-grossing film of Aaryan's career. His performance garnered him the Zee Cine Award for Best Actor in a Comic Role.

Aaryan acknowledged that the film’s success broadened his opportunities in diverse roles. In 2019, he led Luka Chuppi, a satirical take on live-in relationships in smaller Indian towns, co-starring Kriti Sanon and shot in Gwalior. While the movie was commercially profitable, critics pointed out weaknesses in its script. Later that year, he appeared in Pati Patni Aur Woh, a remake of the 1978 classic, portraying a womanizing husband originally played by Sanjeev Kumar. The film amassed over worldwide, earning Aaryan his second consecutive Zee Cine Award for Best Actor in a Comic Role.

In 2020, Aaryan featured in Imtiaz Ali's romantic drama Love Aaj Kal, serving as a spiritual successor to Ali’s 2009 film. He portrayed two characters set in 1990 and 2020, opposite Sara Ali Khan and Arushi Sharma, distinguishing the roles through unique mannerisms. Despite commendations for his acting, the film did not meet commercial expectations.

Aaryan was initially cast in Dharma Productions’ comedy sequel Dostana 2 but was removed after 20 days of shooting due to reported creative disagreements with producer Karan Johar.

In 2021, he starred in Ram Madhvani’s thriller Dhamaka, an adaptation of the Korean movie The Terror Live (2013). Shot entirely within 10 days and released on Netflix, Aaryan's intense and unconventional performance was widely recognized as a standout element.

Bhool Bhulaiyaa franchise and dramatic expansion (2022–present)

In 2022, Aaryan took on the role of Rooh Baba, a fake psychic, in Anees Bazmee’s horror-comedy Bhool Bhulaiyaa 2, sharing screen space with Tabu and Kiara Advani. During the climax shoot, he temporarily lost his voice. Although reviews were mixed, critics highlighted how Aaryan’s confident and spirited portrayal injected vitality into the film. It became his most financially successful project to date, grossing over worldwide. He received the Zee Cine Critics Award for Best Actor – Male and earned a nomination for Filmfare Best Actor.

Following this, he portrayed a socially introverted dentist in the psychological thriller Freddy, released via Disney+ Hotstar. To prepare, Aaryan gained 14 kg, observed dental professionals closely, and practiced isolation. Critics lauded this role as a notable departure from his typical comedic and romantic characters.

In 2023, Aaryan starred in Shehzada, the Hindi remake of the Telugu action hit Ala Vaikunthapurramuloo. Facing financial challenges among the producers, he returned his remuneration and received credit as a producer. The movie did not perform well critically or commercially; Aaryan expressed intent to avoid remakes going forward. He later reunited with Kiara Advani in the romantic drama Satyaprem Ki Katha, which achieved moderate box office success despite mixed reviews that suggested Advani overshadowed him.

Aaryan embodied Paralympic gold medalist Murlikant Petkar in Kabir Khan’s biopic Chandu Champion (2024). His preparation involved rigorous physical training including diet control, swimming, and boxing practice. Although it underperformed commercially, this role earned him his first Filmfare Award for Best Actor. He reprised Rooh Baba in Bhool Bhulaiyaa 3, which grossed worldwide—becoming his highest-grossing release and the second top-earning Hindi film of 2024. His performance secured him the IIFA Award for Best Actor.

Upcoming projects include an untitled romantic drama directed by Anurag Basu featuring Sreeleela alongside him.

Personal life

Aaryan chooses to keep his romantic life away from the public eye, emphasizing his preference for maintaining confidentiality for both himself and his partner. He adheres to an eggetarian dietary lifestyle.

Other work and media image

In addition to his acting career, Aaryan serves as a brand ambassador for companies including the sports apparel firm Hummel International, the skincare line Emami Fair And Handsome, and the ethnic wear label Manyavar. He has also taken on hosting duties at prominent ceremonies such as the 2018 IIFA Awards and the 2019 Zee Cine Awards.

Since 2016, Aaryan has been an active member of the All Stars Football Club, engaging in charity football matches alongside celebrities like Ranbir Kapoor. Although an injury forced him to pull out of a 2018 tournament, he continues to participate in various philanthropic initiatives. Notably, he advocated for plastic pollution awareness on World Environment Day in 2018 and was appointed by the Election Commission of India as a voter awareness ambassador for Madhya Pradesh in 2019.

Aaryan is counted among the top earners in the Indian film industry. After the triumph of Bhool Bhulaiyaa 2, he substantially raised his remuneration for its follow-up installment. In 2018, he secured the eighth position on The Times of India's list of most desirable men, maintaining a spot within the top twelve in subsequent years. Forbes India placed him at number 67 on their Celebrity 100 list in 2019, estimating his annual earnings to exceed ₹100 million. Additionally, he appeared in Eastern Eye's dynamic dozen for the decade (2020), ranked twentieth on Duff & Phelps' list of most valuable Indian celebrity brands (2021), and was named fifteenth among GQ India's "30 most influential young Indians" (2022).

Filmography

Films

Year	Title	Role	Notes
2011	Pyaar Ka Punchnama	Rajat "Rajjo" Mridul
2013	Akaash Vani	Akaash Kapoor
2014	Kaanchi: The Unbreakable	Binda Singh
2015	Pyaar Ka Punchnama 2	Anshul "Gogo" Sharma
2016	Silvat	Anwar Khan	Short film
2017	Guest iin London	Aryan Shergill
2018	Sonu Ke Titu Ki Sweety	Sonu Sharma
2019	Luka Chuppi	Vinod "Guddu" Shukla
	Pati Patni Aur Woh	Abhinav "Chintu" Tyagi
2020	Love Aaj Kal	Veer Taneja / Raghuvendra Singh
2021	Dhamaka	Arjun Pathak
2022	Bhool Bhulaiyaa 2	Ruhan "Rooh Baba" Randhawa
	Freddy	Dr. Freddy Ginwala
2023	Shehzada	Bantu	Also producer
	Tu Jhoothi Main Makkaar	Rahul	Cameo appearance
	Satyaprem Ki Katha	Satyaprem "Sattu" Narayan
2024	Chandu Champion	Murlikant Petkar
	Bhool Bhulaiyaa 3	Ruhan "Rooh Baba" Randhawa / Debendranath
2025	Template:Pending film	Ray	Post-production
2026	Template:Pending film	Template:TableTBA	Filming

Television

Year	Title	Role	Notes	Ref.
2018	19th IIFA Awards	Co-host
2019	Zee Cine Awards#2019 Zee Cine Awards	Co-host
2022	Masaba Masaba	Dr. K	Cameo appearance
25th IIFA Awards	Co-host

Music videos

Year	Title	Role	Singer	Ref.
"Muskurayega India"	"Himself"	"Vishal Mishra"	" "
"Nachunga Aise"	"Arya"	"Millind Gaba"	" "

Awards and nominations

Aaryan has received two Filmfare Best Actor nominations for his performances in Bhool Bhulaiyaa 2 (2023) and Chandu Champion (2025). Additionally, he earned two IIFA nods for Bhool Bhulaiyaa 2 (2023) and Bhool Bhulaiyaa 3 (2025), winning the latter award.