Key points
- Kartik Aaryan, born in Gwalior, came to Mumbai as a middle-class engineering student with no film connections or godfather.
- After years of auditions and rejections, his 6‑minute monologue in Pyaar Ka Punchnama (2011) became a cult breakout and changed his career graph.
- Sonu Ke Titu Ki Sweety, Luka Chuppi and Pati Patni Aur Woh made him a bankable rom-com star across India.
- Bhool Bhulaiyaa 2, Satya Prem Ki Katha and Chandu Champion showcased his growth, from comedy to intense emotional and physical transformation.
- Bhool Bhulaiyaa 3 has earned around ₹400 crore worldwide, making it his biggest hit and putting him among the youngest actors in the 400‑crore club.
- In 2025 he won Filmfare Best Actor for Chandu Champion and IIFA Best Actor for Bhool Bhulaiyaa 3, along with Dadasaheb Phalke International Film Festival Best Actor.
- Upcoming films include Tu Meri Main Tera Main Tera Tu Meri this Christmas, Anurag Basu’s musical love story, Naagzilla and Captain India, keeping him constantly in the spotlight.
Kartik Aaryan’s story does not begin in a star family’s bungalow; it starts in the modest by-lanes of Gwalior, where Kartik Tiwari, son of a middle-class doctor family, grew up far from the film world.
He moved to Mumbai as an engineering student at DY Patil University, juggling classes and auditions, travelling in crowded local trains while secretly harbouring dreams of becoming an actor without any godfather or contacts in the industry.
Those early years were full of daily auditions, long queues and repeated rejections that would have broken a less determined newcomer, yet Kartik kept showing up with the same hunger and preparation.
He often narrates how he survived in shared flats with friends and skipped college lectures to chase casting calls, proving that his eventual success was built on years of invisible grind rather than overnight luck.
Breakthrough with Pyaar Ka Punchnama
The turning point came with Luv Ranjan’s Pyaar Ka Punchnama in 2011, where Kartik played the boy-next-door Rajat, a character that felt instantly relatable to urban youth.
A six-minute monologue about frustrated boyfriends, delivered in one breath, went viral, turning him into the “monologue guy” and making filmmakers and audiences finally notice the lanky outsider from Gwalior.
Even though the film was a modestly budgeted rom-com, its cult following on TV and streaming platforms kept Kartik’s face alive in public memory, giving him the momentum every striver needs after a breakthrough.
This success opened doors to more collaborations with the same team, steadily moving him from ensemble roles to the centre of the poster as a leading man.
From rom‑com favourite to box office force
Sonu Ke Titu Ki Sweety turned Kartik into a national sensation, entering the ₹100 crore club and proving that his name could pull audiences to theatres.The film’s bromance-versus-relationship conflict connected strongly with young viewers, giving it a distinct space in the crowded rom‑com zone.
He consolidated that success with Luka Chuppi and Pati Patni Aur Woh, both mid-budget entertainers that delivered strong collections and established him as a reliable crowd-puller across metros and small towns. These films showed that he could convincingly carry small-town characters and family-friendly comedies, expanding his fanbase beyond just urban youth.
Bhool Bhulaiyaa, Satya Prem and Chandu Champion era
With Bhool Bhulaiyaa 2, Kartik stepped into an iconic Akshay Kumar-led franchise, yet he managed to make the “Rooh Baba” persona completely his own, earning both box office success and audience acceptance. The horror-comedy’s success positioned him firmly as a bankable leading star capable of fronting big commercial franchises.
He then surprised many with Satya Prem Ki Katha, a romantic drama where his emotional vulnerability and sincerity drew praise for showing a more mature, layered side to his acting. That evolution reached a new peak with Kabir Khan’s Chandu Champion, where Kartik played Paralympian Murlikant Petkar, undergoing a drastic physical transformation and intense training to convincingly portray the athlete’s journey.
Critics highlighted Chandu Champion as a turning point that elevated him from “rom-com hero” to serious performer, with widespread acclaim for his discipline and performance. The film’s reception also reassured filmmakers that Kartik could anchor challenging biopics and sports dramas, not just light entertainers.
Bhool Bhulaiyaa 3 and the 400‑crore club
Released during Diwali 2024, Bhool Bhulaiyaa 3 became Kartik Aaryan’s biggest commercial success so far, riding on festive buzz, strong word-of-mouth and his now-iconic Rooh Baba avatar. Trade reports show the film earning around ₹260 crore net in India and over ₹400 crore worldwide, placing it among the year’s highest-grossing Hindi films.
Multiple box office trackers and reports confirm that Bhool Bhulaiyaa 3 crossed the ₹400 crore global mark, cementing Kartik’s position as one of the most bankable young stars in the industry. Industry coverage also notes that this run effectively put him among the youngest actors to reach such a benchmark on the strength of a franchise led primarily by his star power.
Awards, honours and recognition wave
The box office success has been matched by awards, making 2024–25 one of the most decorated phases of Kartik’s career.
He won the prestigious Filmfare Award for Best Actor for Chandu Champion, widely seen as validation of his effort-heavy performance and growth as an actor.
At the IIFA Awards 2025 in Jaipur, Kartik took home the Best Actor trophy for Bhool Bhulaiyaa 3, underlining how he has balanced both critical appreciation and mass appeal. On top of that, the Dadasaheb Phalke International Film Festival Awards 2025 honoured him with Best Actor for Chandu Champion, calling it an “iconic achievement” at their Mumbai ceremony.
Lifestyle and pop-culture platforms have repeatedly celebrated him as one of the faces of the new-generation mainstream hero, with titles like GQ Men of the Year 2024 “Leading Man” adding to his list of honours. Articles and profiles note how his mix of relatability, discipline and box-office draw has made him a favourite of both brands and audiences.
Upcoming films and birthday buzz
As Kartik Aaryan turns 35 on November 22, 2025, he enters his birthday with a slate that reflects both ambition and star power.
He is set to return to theatres this Christmas with Tu Meri Main Tera Main Tera Tu Meri, a romantic entertainer co-starring Ananya Panday, slated for a December 25, 2025 release.
Beyond that, he has signed Anurag Basu’s grand musical love story with South star Sreeleela, widely reported as part of the Aashiqui 3 universe, which is among the most anticipated romances in the pipeline. He will also headline Dharma Productions’ supernatural biggie Naagzilla, where he plays an ichchhadhari nag, scheduled for an Independence Day 2026 release, along with the long-discussed patriotic drama Captain India.
Trade discussions and fan chatter online suggest that this line-up, spanning romance, supernatural, action and drama, could further deepen his hold over the box office if the content clicks. Given the momentum of Bhool Bhulaiyaa 3 and his recent award wins, expectations are high that Kartik will continue to push himself with varied roles and genres.
More than an “outsider” label
Kartik often speaks about being a true industry outsider who fought for every audition and every role, and profiles repeatedly underline how his journey has become an aspirational template for small-town dreamers.
He completed his engineering degree from DY Patil University alongside his acting career, a personal milestone that earned him extra respect from fans who see it as proof of his perseverance off-screen as well.
Today, on his birthday, Kartik Aaryan stands in one of the strongest and most rewarding phases of his career, no longer just a promising newcomer but a theatre-filling, fan-made superstar.
From Gwalior’s quiet streets to ₹400‑crore blockbusters and Best Actor trophies, his story continues to inspire millions of young Indians to dream big, work hard and write their own scripts in life.
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