‘Was literally living like Freddy:’ Kartik Aryan

Express News Service

You have said you had disturbing nights while shooting Freddy. What made you go for such a dark character?
To keep challenging the actor in me, I pick characters where I would initially think, ‘Yeh kaise hoga?’ (How is this possible?) Freddy is diametrically opposite to what I have ever done. Challenges keep me motivated to put in passion and hard work. Freddy is such a layered character. I had so much to do to bring it to life. 

How did you prepare for the role?
I had many sessions with dentists, who showed me how to use instruments on mock patients or to go easy on them (laughs). I had to work on my body language. Some major workshops were done for the film because everything is so internal. It is not about the words that my character is speaking; it is more to do with his thoughts. Everything that Freddy experiences and does had to become very real for me, otherwise it wouldn’t have worked. I was literally living like Freddy, but I enjoyed the process.

You seem to be stepping out of your comfort zone more, now that people’s expectations from you are growing. Is that true?
Yes, that is all the more reason why I am choosing my scripts wisely and trying to give something new with every performance. I am picking characters that are not expected of me. I have to keep surprising the audience, and Freddy is one of them. I was trying a similar thing with Dhamaka, where I played a (disgraced) news anchor.

Do you think the idea of the quintessential Bollywood hero has changed?
I think the audience for films such as Freddy has increased. If you put a quintessential hero in a good story, it will work. If the story doesn’t work for the audience, then nothing will work, whether conventional or unconventional. The response to Dhamaka is a case study in itself because we shot for it in just nine days and to achieve the results that we got for the film is commendable.

Your films have been box-office hits. Why didn’t you want Freddy to be a theatrical release?
Freddy was always meant to be made for OTT and we didn’t want to change anything because things have to be done differently for theatrical releases. We didn’t want to cut any scenes or change the core of the film.

Given your rising popularity, are you flooded with film offers? 
I am just enjoying the process and the increasing interest of filmmakers in me. I have always wanted to work with many of these directors. I will always remember 2022 as a year that changed my life. A lot of scripts are coming to me and I still want more to come (laughs). That is the reason I am excited to go on set and work.  

You are being called the youngest superstar of Bollywood. What keeps you grounded?
That is how I am. I come from the small town of Gwalior. I am happy that people are giving me so much love and I hope that continues. Fingers crossed. I know that all eyes are on me and I am praying that things only go up and forward.

Tell us about your forthcoming films.
I have Shehzada (remake of Allu Arjun’s Telugu drama Ala Vaikunthapurramuloo), Satyaprem ki Katha, and then films with Kabir Khan and Anurag Basu (Aashiqui 3).

<br> You have said you had disturbing nights while shooting Freddy. What made you go for such a dark character?<br> To keep challenging the actor in me, I pick characters where I would initially think, ‘Yeh kaise hoga?’ (How is this possible?) Freddy is diametrically opposite to what I have ever done. Challenges keep me motivated to put in passion and hard work. Freddy is such a layered character. I had so much to do to bring it to life. 

How did you prepare for the role?
I had many sessions with dentists, who showed me how to use instruments on mock patients or to go easy on them (laughs). I had to work on my body language. Some major workshops were done for the film because everything is so internal. It is not about the words that my character is speaking; it is more to do with his thoughts. Everything that Freddy experiences and does had to become very real for me, otherwise it wouldn’t have worked. I was literally living like Freddy, but I enjoyed the process.

You seem to be stepping out of your comfort zone more, now that people’s expectations from you are growing. Is that true?
Yes, that is all the more reason why I am choosing my scripts wisely and trying to give something new with every performance. I am picking characters that are not expected of me. I have to keep surprising the audience, and Freddy is one of them. I was trying a similar thing with Dhamaka, where I played a (disgraced) news anchor.

Do you think the idea of the quintessential Bollywood hero has changed?
I think the audience for films such as Freddy has increased. If you put a quintessential hero in a good story, it will work. If the story doesn’t work for the audience, then nothing will work, whether conventional or unconventional. The response to Dhamaka is a case study in itself because we shot for it in just nine days and to achieve the results that we got for the film is commendable.

Your films have been box-office hits. Why didn’t you want Freddy to be a theatrical release?Freddy was always meant to be made for OTT and we didn’t want to change anything because things have to be done differently for theatrical releases. We didn’t want to cut any scenes or change the core of the film.

Given your rising popularity, are you flooded with film offers? 
I am just enjoying the process and the increasing interest of filmmakers in me. I have always wanted to work with many of these directors. I will always remember 2022 as a year that changed my life. A lot of scripts are coming to me and I still want more to come (laughs). That is the reason I am excited to go on set and work.  

You are being called the youngest superstar of Bollywood. What keeps you grounded?
That is how I am. I come from the small town of Gwalior. I am happy that people are giving me so much love and I hope that continues. Fingers crossed. I know that all eyes are on me and I am praying that things only go up and forward.

Tell us about your forthcoming films.
I have Shehzada (remake of Allu Arjun’s Telugu drama Ala Vaikunthapurramuloo), Satyaprem ki Katha, and then films with Kabir Khan and Anurag Basu (Aashiqui 3).