E-Paper
Editor’s Note: An open letter to Kartik Aaryan
Praise, a confession and some advice to the actor who is being hailed as the superstar of the season
Dear Superstar of the Season,
Congratulations on the success of Bhool Bhulaiyaa 2. The superhit film has cemented your position as a bona fide Bollywood superstar.
I watched the movie in a Central Delhi cinema hall and was pleasantly surprised to find my forever favourite, Tabu, in a starring double role. I also realised that the exaggerated theatrics of a masala Bollywood flick are not mine to enjoy for much longer.
The movie made me flashback a few years ago to the tony, South Delhi cinema hall where I watched one of your first films, Pyaar Ka Punchnama. Now that was truly special: the college-student gags were funny, but the way the 250+ members of the audience laughed and applauded at the same time made the experience a memorable one indeed.
Your famous monologue was delivered with so much earnestness, it won many hearts… including mine. We were applauding sincerity, not perfection.
It is this experience that helped me make a case for your first HT Brunch cover two years ago.
The cover page of the weekend magazine of the Hindustan Times is a coveted place for any star to be on: a legacy of 18+ years, and the fact that several publications now put up their covers on sale, which Brunch does not, has made sure the cover remains just as aspirational.
In May 2020, our decision to have you on the cover faced a certain amount of questioning. I’m not sure you realised, even the coverline reflected the trepidation: Heartthrob Du Jour, we called you, alluding to your popularity “at that moment”, followed by the line, “When did Kartik Aaryan get so cool?”
A caustic social media commentator famously put up a post the day the cover appeared, saying “Kartik, who?” You, in your typical millennial manner, replied with humour and respect, then let your innumerable fan armies go in for the kill.
I’m happy to tell you that in 2022, there are no aspersions any longer. You’re a legit superstar in Bollywood, and the fact that you come from the small town of Gwalior and have no film connections, makes your story that much more special.
Today, you’re spoken about on talk shows, and while many may allude success is going to your head, nobody dares to ignore you. Not even your exes. Your small town gestures, like the YouTube video where you surprise your mum by giving her a Mini Cooper on her birthday, get millions of views and make the applause louder.
Your cover story in today’s issue has the potential to stir a million dreams and inspire thousands of young people. From now on, you must choose your actions with care, but also remember: anything you do with earnestness and the sincerity of thought, will never go disregarded.
Congratulations on the HT Brunch cover, and here’s to more, even bigger successes to follow.
Also in this issue: In times of social media, can a college teacher post personal pictures and not get into trouble?
An autobiography at 53? Filmmaker and LGBTQIA+ activist Onir has had experiences for a lifetime.
And… in our luxury pages, Anandita De speaks to interior designer Sarah Sham and discovers her mantra of success: self-satisfaction!
Follow @JamalShaikh on Twitter and Instagram
From HT Brunch, August 20, 2022
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