Kartik Aaryan on Shehzada: It was very different to do an out-and-out commercial film after mentally challenging Freddy

With 9 out of his 13 films so far turning out to be major moneyspinners, Kartik Aaryan is all geared up for the release of his next film Shehzada this Friday. Trade experts are already predicting it to be the second blockbuster this year after Pathaan. Cheers to that says Kartik with swigs of milk.

Shehzada looks like a fun film. Was it fun to shoot?

It was an incredible experience shooting for the film as it gave me the opportunity to do some high-octane action that was both challenging and fun. Also wherever we shot, whether it was in Delhi or Haryana or any of the locations, we had hundreds of locals gathering up, forming a huge crowd and cheering us on. Yes, I noticed the crowds. For a team working on a big Bollywood massy entertainer there couldn’t be anything more encouraging for us and the love from the people really boosted our energy and spirits.

Was it a relief to do something frothy after the dark Freddy?

It was very different to do an out-and-out commercial film after _Freddy_ because Freddy was both emotionally and mentally challenging for me as a performer, whereas _Shehzada_ was more physically challenging because of the action and stunts…so I enjoyed the best of both worlds and it keeps me on my toes and challenges me as an actor to constantly try different things!

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The songs of Shehzada are already a rage. What are your expectations from the film?

Shehzada is a complete masala massy family entertainer and with that comes all the ingredients of it - action, drama, comedy, romance, coupled with great music …it’s a feel-good film, a family entertainer and the kind of Bollywood films we’ve grown up watching. I’m really happy that people are loving the songs, making videos, aping the dance steps and making them trend.

What was it like to be directed by Rohit Dhawan? How different is he from your other directors?

I loved working with Rohit Dhawan and I enjoyed every bit of shooting Shehzada with him. I feel no one could have given to this film as much as he has. Rohit has added his own ideas, his own elements; he’s taken an idea but added his own original spin to it. I’m confident that when Shehzada comes out, it will be something fresh and different.

And Kriti Sanon?

Kriti and I have worked together on Luka Chuppi and audiences loved our chemistry and pairing…I feel it’s our friendship and equation that reflects in our onscreen chemistry.

In spite of your growing stardom, you refuse to hike your price during these times when actors with multiple flops insist on charming the sun moon and stars?

I can’t talk on behalf of others, but I personally believe that with the rapidly changing tastes and choices of the audiences today, nothing is predictable and we as actors need to stand by our producers at such a time so we can all together enjoy the success of a film that takes combined effort of the team. By doing so, even the filmmakers have more liberty to make larger-than-life cinema, or spend good amounts on content quality and be cautious with budgets that can be reduced if we actors stand by them.

You have quite a slate of projects coming up?

Yes, Satyaprem Ki Katha, Aashiqui 3 to Kabir (Khan) Sir’s next, all these films have such varied concepts but all these scripts had their soul in its writing and have some wonderful characters that excite me and satisfy my hunger as an actor. But first, Shehzada.

Subhash K Jha is a Patna-based journalist. He has been writing about Bollywood for long enough to know the industry inside out.

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