In his 9-year old career, Kartik Aaryan has starred in a number of romantic comedies, from Pyaar ka Punchnama series to Pati Patni Aur Woh, but his upcoming film Love Aaj Kal will be his first-ever attempt at doing a hardcore love story.
The actor says the Imtiaz Ali-directed movie will be his "litmus test" of whether audience would want to see him in this new avatar. In the film, Kartik plays two distinct characters-- Raghu and Veer. The film follows the love stories of two different eras -— the first is set in 1990, and unfolds between Raghu and Leena (Arushi Sharma). The other love story, set in present time, happens between Veer and Zoe (Sara Ali Khan).
"A lot of things have changed in my life after meeting Imtiaz sir. It was a life-changing experience for me to work with him. For the first time, I have worked out of my comfort zone and both the characters in the film required a lot of hard work. It's an intense romantic film, not a comedy. So, I think it's a litmus test of my career and whether audience would like to see me in this kind of role," says Kartik.
Kartik credited Imtiaz, who has steadily refined the genre of romance in Bollywood, for helping him navigate and identify the two roles with ease.
"The role was quite challenging but Imtiaz sir made it easier for me. We had multiple workshops and prep sessions to get the body language and diction of both the characters right. Because I don't relate to either of my characters. I think some might find Veer a little weird because he is a bit robotic who lives in isolation. He's always stayed away from his parents so he's sort of a recluse. But he has no filter when he communicates with people. If he likes someone then he literally starts following that person which is pretty much like stalking (laughs). So, I think there's a lot of weirdness in that character, and hence it was difficult for me to bring it to life.
"On the other hand, Raghu is a proper filmy guy. His body language and rhythm are completely different from Veer. So I think playing both these characters was the most challenging part of my career. But I really enjoyed studying them with Imtiaz sir and I think I have learnt a lot from him," shares the actor.
With Love Aaj Kal, Kartik has taken a leap over the fence to feel out the intensity of dramatic acting, which is an unfamiliar terrain for him.
Talking about dabbling in drama, Kartik says, "I still feel that comedy is a very difficult genre to crack because there's a thin line that separates humour and hurt. It's very difficult to maintain that line. And, I'm fortunate that people have so far found my comedy relatable. I also keep pushing my boundaries when it comes to doing comedy. But I personally feel that I have developed a sense of comic timing and I understand the science behind it which has really helped me throughout my career with comedic films. And, I feel that it has somewhere helped me in a sense that I have cracked a genre which is considered as the most difficult. But I always wanted to do an intense or a romantic role because I feel that as an actor, I get creative satisfaction in those kinds of roles more. Comedy is definitely difficult but the genre of romance has its own technicalities, wherein sometimes you have to perform through you eyes. So, both the genres have their own challenges."
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