Kartik Aaryan has finally responded to the speculations surrounding Pyaar Ka Punchnama 3.
Actor Kartik Aaryan marked his big screen debut with filmmaker Luv Ranjan’s romantic comedy Pyaar Ka Punchnama (2011), which shot him to instant recognition as ‘the monologue guy’. Even eleven-and-a-half years after its release, the film is remembered for its entertaining and quirky plotline and the camaraderie shared by its male protagonists. So, it comes as no surprise that despite his impressive line-up of films, Kartik’s fans remain the most intrigued about the third instalment in the Pyaar Ka Punchnama franchise. And when producer-director Abhishek Pathak said that there’s a plan to take the franchise ahead in a recent interview, fans of the film couldn’t hold their excitement.
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In an exclusive interaction with News18, Kartik, however, reveals that there’s no update on Pyaar Ka Punchnama 3 as of now as both Luv and him have a lot on their plates at the moment. “He’s busy with the post-production work of his next film (Tu Jhoothi Main Makkaar). So, there’s no update on a collaboration right now. He has to take a call but I’m always ready for him to call me for a film. He launched me and he has a special place in my heart. I’m waiting for him to offer me a film,” the 32-year-old actor stated.
Talking about the impact that the film had on his career, Kartik says, “Pyaar Ka Punchnama has received a cult status. People ask me about my monologues in the films all the time wherever I go. It has been years since the films released but they’ve attached the monologues with me and it makes me feel so happy and grateful.” He further adds, “It takes years for an actor to have that one iconic dialogue associated with them but I received that really early on in my career. The monologues were one-of-its-kind. I feel lucky that I got to prove myself with these two films and those lines.”
Though he belted out two memorable projects with Pyaar Ka Punchnama and Pyaar Ka Punchnama 2 in a span of five years, Kartik reveals that even after the success of the latter, he went through a phase of identity crisis. “Until Pyaar Ka Punchnama 2, I was looking for a hit film. There was an identity crisis I was going through. People didn’t understand who I’m and they didn’t know what my name is.”
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Recalling the period, the actor, who delivered a super hit with Bhool Bhulaiyaa 2 last year, remarks, “At that time, I was in a dilemma. People weren’t giving me those [significant] chances even after the release of Pyaar Ka Punchnama 2, which made about Rs 70 crores at the box office. The makers still didn’t know my name. They didn’t know if they should cast me in a film, make me the solo lead in their films or trust me with a big film.”
Kartik further reveals that he went through a period of financial difficulty, and the choices that he made post 2015 was a ‘gamble’. He elaborates, “Something or the other was going wrong and so, I was very confused if I was doing the right things. But at the same time, I had self-belief that I know my craft and that the audience enjoy seeing me on-screen. That kept me going. It was just that a few of my choices were questioned back then because maybe the audience couldn’t relate to my characters. I didn’t have enough money at that time and had no clue about how my future would pan out. It was all a gamble.”
But it was the comedy drama Sonu Ke Titu Ki Sweety (2018) that eventually helped him find his groove and helped him shift gears. “The film gave me an identity. One needs a lot of patience [to make it in the industry] and my patience has been tested a lot. But I think I’ve been patient enough. I’m glad that I’m reaping its fruits today,” says Kartik, who has hit kitty full with films such as Shehzada, Satyaprem Ki Katha, Captain India, Aashiqui 3 and filmmaker Kabir Khan’s untitled next.
