Kartik Aaryan

He was a rank outsider who managed to not only prise and toe his way into Bollywood’s golden echelon, ‘privy only’ to ‘select’ Tinsel Town’s insiders. Not only that he won the love of fans nationwide – in fact, his 6-minute monologue in Pyaar Ka Panchnama expressing frustrations over what women really want became the heralding anthem of most men…. his song ‘Tera Yaar Hu Main became so popular it was played at every party, shaadi and pub… and yes, this star had arrived. And, how!

Women found him super cute, more so the girls in Bollywood – in fact, he allegedly dated many Bollywood’s golden girls and even had an ugly affair-aftermath fracas with a legendary heroines’ actor daughter. All huge ‘No-No’s for any ‘outsider’ actor in Bollywood.

No wonder, he was frowned and even ‘black-listed by the top honcho called the ‘Big Daddy’ of nepo kids for some time. But he was still the golden boy and in mercurial Bollywood, friendships and enmities flow freely like water under the bridge and so of course, all the past shenanigans by the young stud came under the ‘bygone’ category, and the top honcho even made a film with him. But was that a boon or a curse? Read on…

The Kartik Wave

…Yes, we at TheGlitz are talking about the multi-talented, charismatic Kartik Aryaan who was happily surfing through the successful waves of stardom until Bollywood’s unpredictable roller‑coaster threw him yet another loop — and it was a tongue-twister film called ‘Tu Meri Main Tera Main Tera Tu Meri‘. And this tumultuous time, the actor now finds himself plumb in the eye of a swirling storm.

Box Office Devil

‘Tu Meri Main Tera Main Tera Tu Meri’ opened in theatres on Christmas Day but registered a modest performance, collecting an estimated Rs 7.75 crore at the domestic box office on its first day… a figure that didn’t break into double digits despite the holiday window. On its second day, collections weakened further, with early estimates from Sacnilk suggesting the film earned approximately Rs 5 crore, resulting in a total domestic net collection of around Rs 12.75 crore after two days.

After the film’s super debacle opening, the Bhool Bhulaiyaa 3 star, once Bollywood’s brash golden boy, is now dealing with furious fan reactions, vicious social media brutal trolling and old industry rumours that perhaps there is “sabotage” and some powerful houses aren’t exactly rooting for him.

Kartik Aryaan’s New Film Meets Ancient Backlash

Tu Meri Main Tera Main Tera Tu Meri — the much‑anticipated romantic comedy starring alongside Ananya Panday, was backed by heavyweight producers including Karan Johar’s Dharma Production, and though Dharma is known as marketing genius’, the film still opened as a disaster. Critics tore the film apart – from criticising the non-existent storyline to the poor casting decision of Ananya Panday. But above all, Kartik was ripped to shreds by trollers and critics, who sniped and brutally panned him about practically everything – from essaying a ‘super irritating’ character in the film to repeatedly essaying the same character with the same mannerisms in practically all his films.

The hate, strangely enough, was palpable even before the film released. In the run‑up to its release, the film’s marketing generated more criticism than cheer. A remixed version of the beloved classic “Saat Samundar Paar” sparked a savage backlash from audiences and even from the lyricist’s own son for not preserving the original’s magic.

On social media, netizens slammed the recreation of the iconic Bollywood songs and questioned creative decisions in the film. One viral critique described how the re‑imagined track “failed to capture the charm of the original,” with angry fans declaring that it was blasphemous and that some classic songs were untouchable.

Then came the reaction to another nostalgic sequence — Kartik dancing to Saajanji Ghar Aaye — which was widely met with ridicule and comments comparing him unfavorably to predecessors like Salman Khan.

That’s not the kind of momentum any rising star hoped for during a movie rollout — especially one backed by major production clout. Didn’t Dharma take note of all that?

Rumors of Industry Friction and Targeting

Amid the online criticism, some industry voices and fans have revived an old narrative: Is Kartik being deliberately held back by Bollywood power players?

Singer‑composer Amaal Mallik had earlier ignited controversy by claiming that big industry figures prefer to see Kartik sidelined, comparing his situation to the tragic sidelining of the late Sushant Singh Rajput and alleging internal opposition within the Hindi film world.

Others have pointed to past events as “evidence” of inconsistent support — like Kartik being dropped from Hera Pheri 3 early in production, a move later clarified by Paresh Rawal as due to script changes but still fueling speculation.

Add to that longstanding gossip about his exit from Dostana 2 and shifting relationships with some mainstream houses, and you have plenty of fuel for headlines — even if definitive proof of a coordinated “campaign against him” remains elusive.

But Is It Targeting — or Backlash to Creative Choices?

Industry insiders and critics caution against reading too much into the idea of a deliberate sabotage plot. Box office mystique and fan fervour often collide to create noise around high‑profile stars, especially when films lean heavily on remixes and nostalgia… creative choices that inherently risk polarized reactions.

Kartik himself has previously acknowledged the sharp ‘ups and downs’ of fame. In past interviews, he’s spoken about struggling early in his career and feeling as though some in the industry are not fully behind him, despite blockbuster success.

And while Bhool Bhulaiyaa 3 cemented his box‑office value, the narrative of being “unsupported” shadowed him through various phases — from reports of behind‑the‑scenes tension with production houses to recurring online debates about his star power and choices.

Fans Rally — or Roast?

Despite the backlash, the actor’s loyal fandom remains vocal — defending his choices and dismissing suggestions of sabotage as “media overreaction” or standard industry friction. Meanwhile, critics argue that Kartik can’t be written off as yet, that Tu Meri Main Tera simply struck the wrong chord with audiences, especially after the film followed close on the heels of a hard-hitting spy film ‘Dhurandhar‘ which was a huge superhit crossing an unprecedent Rs 1000 crores… and that the brutal social media piling on wasn’t a sign of targeting, but of amplified disappointment.

TheGlitz Verdict: One Thing Is Certain

With Tu Meri Main Tera Main Tera Tu Meri now released and brutally panned and criticised — from the internet slamming its remixed songs to chilly box‑office chatter and comparisons that haven’t gone in his favour — this chapter in Kartik’s career feels less like a ‘pending story’ and more like a full‑blown reality check on how audiences and critics react when expectations clash with execution.

But we at TheGlitz say… never underestimate Kartik Aaryan. Love him or roast him, Kartik Aaryan continues to be one of India’s most talked‑about stars — and Tu Meri Main Tera may have made a dent in his popularity, but this powerhouse performer is one star who never says die…

So, expect the unexpected from him. As for the chatter, nothing gets the gossip mills rolling faster than the words “sabotage”, outsider versus nepo kids’ and scandal. But then if Kartik is still being spoken about… he can’t be over. Or can he?