‘Amidst madness of hyper masculinity…’: Did Kartik Aaryan amplify a dig at Dhurandhar as ‘testosterone boasting film’?

Kartik Aaryan's film Tu Meri Main Tera Main Tera Tu Meri was released two weeks after Dhurandhar, and was impacted by its massive success.

Updated on: Dec 29, 2025 4:52 PM IST

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Aditya Dhar's Dhurandhar has emerged as the biggest blockbuster of the year, surpassing expectations and crossing ₹1000 crore worldwide. The Ranveer Singh-starrer was released in theatres on December 5 and showed no signs of slowing down at the box office for three weeks.

Kartik Aaryan and Ananya Panday's Tu Meri Main Tera Main Tera Tu Meri was swept away by the Dhurandhar storm at the box office.

It also severely impacted the box office success of Kartik Aaryan and Ananya Panday's film Tu Meri Main Tera Main Tera Tu Meri, which hit theatres on December 25. Now, it appears Kartik has reposted a dig at Dhurandhar with a cryptic note.

(Also read: Aditya Dhar's Dhurandhar made me question my ability as a filmmaker, says Karan Johar: ‘I was blown away by it’)

Taking to his Instagram Stories, Kartik shared a shoutout from screenplay writer Saurabh Bharat on Monday. It had a positive review of Tu Mera, and read, “It's so heartwarming to see that amidst the madness of hypermasculinity and testosterone-boasting action films, someone is making a breezing progressive film.”

The caption further read, “Congratulations. For building a genre of cinema which entertains yet pushes an envelope deep in the society.” Kartik responded with red heart emoticons on his own Instagram Stories.

Dhurandhar wins big at box office

Dhurandhar is making a strong impact at the box office, earning widespread acclaim for its powerful performances and gripping screenplay. Apart from Ranveer Singh and Akshaye Khanna, the spy action thriller also stars R. Madhavan, Sanjay Dutt and Arjun Rampal, Sara Arjun and Rakesh Bedi.

Dhurandhar has earned over ₹1000 crore worldwide since its release on December 5. The second part of the film is scheduled for a theatrical release on March 19, 2026.

Kartik Aaryan's film received mixed reviews upon its release, with many critics calling out the half-baked writing and the lack of chemistry between the leads. So far, the film has managed to collect ₹23 crore.

ABOUT THE AUTHOR
Santanu Das
Santanu Das is a Senior Content Producer at Hindustan Times with over 5 years of experience, writing on films, pop culture and film festivals. He has a keen interest in writing about South Asian independent films and has covered several film festivals, including Sundance and CPH: Docx. He also brings a sharp perspective to the monthly column called The Fault in Our Stars, where he writes about a recent film/series and what stops the ‘good’ from becoming ‘great’. A gold medalist from Banaras Hindu University, Santanu completed his postgraduate studies in English from Jadavpur University. He is also a Rotten Tomatoes-certified film critic. When not watching films or speaking to celebrities, Santanu can be found reading a book. Some of his favourite films are Aparajito, Ponyo and The Double Life of Veronique. His favourite books include The Corrections, The God of Small Things and A Room of One's Own. Santanu continues to write passionately about films and celebrity culture. He brings a relatable, as well as critically informed, lens to entertainment and culture for a wide audience. Find him on LinkedIn: santanudasfilm Instagram: @santupechaRead More

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