Kartik Aaryan Gets Emotional About Being an Outsider, Says ''Any Weekend Could Be My Last"

Fact remains that yeah, I've never been an insider. Maybe I've always, you know, I've come from the outside world and I believe that is something again, it's a mindset which which is gonna stay with me also every Friday, any Friday can be a last Friday. Also. This question is for both of you because you know, I've been hearing lot of interviews like outsiders like, but you know, you have been in this industry for 13 years, 18 years. You both have proved your worth, you know, in the craft as well at the box office. Do you sometimes when the key, when will this tag go away because you are a part of this industry? Like you know, how many years do you need to spend more to be more part of this? I don't mind that tag. It's fine. I feel comfortable with the tag because I think it's also a mindset. I know that people, if I was to say I'm still an outsider, people would probably laugh at it. As you know, you've been at it for 18 years and you've done films with a lot of very established actors and stars. How do you call yourself an outsider? I think outsider inside has a bit of a mindset. Why I identify with an outsider is that one, I will never forget where I'm coming from and the sort of struggles I went through. I think it gives me, which is a nice position to have, gives me a place of being able to take one step back and observe it objectively and sort of not necessarily get submerged in into the sort of film industry in a, in a way that there's nothing else to your life. But I think there's so much more to to one's identity than just, you know, the films that you're doing. And that's very important because ultimately that's the way you will approach your story that that's, that will also give you that objectivity to pick up stories from, you know, different quarters and bring them to, to the screen. So I'm comfortable, I'm comfortable being called an insider or outsider. I think it's according to people's perspective. And what about you guys? It means see, it is what it is. I mean, ABI, I'm I'm someone who's really it's the same. It's just going Friday successful Otay, But the fact remains that, yeah, I'm I've never been an insider. Maybe I've always, you know, I've come from the outside world and and and I believe that is something again, it's a mindset which which is going to stay with me also in terms of thinking like that, that every Friday, any Friday can be a last Friday also. So, so there's this and maybe somewhere down the line I feel that there's no I don't have any other backup. I don't have anywhere anywhere else to go but to yeah, yeah. Mujhe second and third chance mile more more than Hamesha Rehta. So I just feel shy. I'd say Slebiota and and and my journey has been like an open book and everybody's seen that. So I think that's the reason also that they keep on asking me this question also. But yeah, I'm I'm proud of that journey. And that's the reason I'm more vocal about it also. It's it's it is what it is. And it's, it's it's a good thing that I'm, you know, whoever has made it on his own, his or her journey, I think they they should be really proud of it. And, and and so am I. And that maybe pushes you hard and, you know, not take the success for granted because, you know, you have really worked hard to be where you are today. Not at all. You cannot take success for granted. And Metu Kabhi Kabhi, success word. Thank you, Choti Choti Choti Superstation. So I don't want to sound like that also. And so I'm just doing my job and I hope it just continues and people just shower their love and their interest in what I'm doing in my films that I'm trying to do. So, so that's the thing. And so I'll keep on doing work like the way I've been doing it and and won't get attached to flops or hits. And Kabir, you know, you put all your focus on one project. You know, how risky is that for you? Because, you know, four years to make a film, like there more would be moments when things are not going your way. So you know, it might be motivated. How do you keep at at it? Like every with every film? I think if you love the story that you're working on, if you love the subject material, that's what keeps you motivated. You don't even count the number of days it takes. You just do whatever it takes to make it the best. See, the only thing that we can do is give it our best. What happens to a film nobody can predict, has ever been able to predict? The only thing that is in our control is have we given the best shot or not? And if you yourself know that you've not given it your best shot, then you'll always be in doubt. And I feel that the best, best intentions always shine through, irrespective of what happens at the box office on that Friday. If you really made it with conviction, with dedication, the film finds its audience, the film finds its respect. The film finds its space in the sun. And you know, like, do you think that 83 for me, like I believe that if 83 would have released today, it would have been in great business. Do you also feel that because it has found its audience on OTT now? I do because I do feel it's a hugely entertaining film. It's a hugely, I mean it's I've considered it my best made film till late and it was very evocative. It was about an event that so I'm actually, I've never met anybody who has not liked the film. So, and I can't say that about all my films. Actually there have been some great big films of mine which you know are huge blockbusters. But I have found some people who did not like it. This is the only film I have never till date found anybody who has come and said I'm making a picture of Chili Lagidhi. So I do believe that yes, it was it's destiny and it was something that I must say that I was very upset about and depressed for a couple of months. But now in retrospect, when I look back, I've forgotten that now only I only remember the fact that people come up to me on a daily basis and say we loved 83. We loved the kind of messages I got on my phone still keep coming. So I know it's definitely one of the films that will be my defining films in my filmography and something that I'm very, very proud of. And, you know, lastly, Karthik, you know, being a public figure, you know, there are a lot of things written about you like good, but how do you deal with the negative things that are written about you, you know, success, like all these things, like how do you deal with it? Do you ignore it? How do you detach from that aspect of being a public figure? I don't know why I stay silent. I think even with good things or with bad things, I just try to stay. As you know, silence is, is very powerful and, and I've dealt with the biggest situation with silence. So I, I think that's, that's what I believe in and I'll follow that only. And with sometimes I understand why somebody is writing this also. And it's not just me. Everybody understands that. So nobody is stupid in today's day and age. So jab kisi ko kuch Sahi insane. So it's not something I'm sub nursery. Many look smart and we are smart enough to know who's doing it also and what is happening also. So I believe you should just stay quiet and justice to let your work speak louder than words. Hi Karthik. Hi. Hello. Your first welcome to Hindustan Times. Karthik, I want to start off with you because you know, you have said that this has been the most challenging project. I want to know how satisfying it has been for you. It's been very satisfying. I mean, this experience of playing Muli Khan Petkar Ji in a film has been very enjoyable. Difficult but very enjoyable process where I was really creatively, really satisfied and there are some films or some roles. I think you get an opportunity or I mean, which is a, which is a rare opportunity. I think this was one rare opportunity or a lifetime of a role that that came my way and I was just so happy with this that you know, that everything that all the, all the pain and injuries, all the, you know, efforts, ya jithya bhi mehnat Ismail lagi and all the sacrifices, even after going through so many things, I think I really had a great time and and a very, as I said earlier, enjoyable process. And Kabir, you know, when you envision Karthik as Muli Sir, you know, how has he surpassed your expectations since the time you envisioned him to now when you see him on screen as Muli Sir, I think the whole film as a whole has gone beyond our expectations. And obviously, a very central pillar of the film is Karthik's performance because, you know, it's so the whole film is revolving around Murali Kant, Petkar and what he did. And so I think just the way that we were able to be managed to, you know, show different phases of his life in with his sort of body being in different conditions during those phases itself is I think, quite a triumph for us. We were not sure whether we'd be able to really be able to achieve that in the way we wanted to because there's a very small margin of error that's involved. But it happened. I think in terms of even the way he imbibed the whole milieu of, you know, Maharashtra with the dialect, the way of speaking, it all really came together. I think the boxing skills that Karthik acquired went beyond what we had envisioned. And I think so it all just came together. I think that, you know, that's what happens when a film comes together. Well, when a film is like, you know, comes together as a good film, everything sort of falls into place beautifully. And I think everything that we tried, it was a lot of risk involved in the things that we were trying. But it all worked out beautifully for us. How did your perception of Kartik Aryan change after working with him? Like, you know, maybe what you thought before you got to know him, but you know, eventually after working with him for four, like so. So, you know, there is a long process which we go through before we start filming. So there was not like, you know, there was not so much that I did not know because we got to know each other. I knew his strengths and weaknesses as an actor and what he likes to, you know, where he likes to push it where he wants. So it was a process. And also what happens is it's a journey together. You start discovering each other's facets as you are sort of filming. And there are lots of places where Karthik surprised me. I think where I think Karthik surprised all of us was actually the I won't say ease because ease suggests that it was very easy for him, but I'll say ease because of the naturalness with which way with which he performed hugely emotional and dramatic scenes. I think I was, I was taken aback by that, that how beautifully sort of it it came together and never looked like he signed, pushing and trying to press those buttons that sometimes actors do to create a certain set of emotion. It was, it just felt very natural, very organic. And that's been a great discovery for me. Karthik, for you like, you know, portraying this journey and the life of Munisa, could you relate to his journey, the ups and downs, the struggles that with your own personal journey in some way? Yeah, definitely. I think we, I mean, when I was actually going through his story and and what all he went through, of course, oh, Unki life bohatis are the obstacles, Ayate. And so I can't compare it completely to mind, but but you know, you tend to think about your obstacles, your hurdles and how your life went through ups and downs, maybe emotionally, maybe in terms of your personal life, professional life, everything. So every way possible, you start thinking about your life also. So it it kind of reminded the story, kind of reminded me of my obstacles also in a very smaller manner though, but but the graph of it maybe so. I think so, yeah, I connected with it on a very personal note also. And and that was it. I really believed in, in the one line of the film, the man who refused to surrender. And it automatically, you know, it can a lot of people can relate to that line. A lot of people can get inspired by that one line tag line of the film. So which I I was number different to I also related to that and the entire sequences. There were so many sequences where I used to feel, you know, you can easily give up, but giving up was never an option for him and and I could relate to that. So, you know, there were so many instances in my life, in my maybe in my profession also that you that maybe if you give up, that's, that's an easy option. But I myself chose not to give up in any moment or any circumstances. So I think I could relate to, you know, certain instances and yeah. And at this, you know, box office is a very tricky business. You don't know what's gonna work, what's not. Tell me, do you take that kind of a pressure thinking, you know, I don't know whether the film is gonna work. Oregon not. Does that, you know, make you nervous at the moment? Not when you're making the film. I think that's the furthest thought from you. When you're making the film. Your entire energy is so focused on making a film that you think is a good film. It's only when you're coming closer to release, like at this point in time, then you do have these kind of discussions about, you know, because of the fact that we sort of having going through times where the box office is not responding the way it used to pre COVID, people's habit of coming to the theatre seems to have, you know, diminished a bit. But having said that, there are lots of examples of films sort of where the ones that touching a chord with people are really flying. So I think what's happening is either people are deciding this is not a film we want to see on the big screen or people are saying, no, this is that one film we want to see on the big screen. And we are hoping that Chandu Champion is is that one that people have made-up their mind to come and see on the screens. And I'm only judging it from the kind of response that we've got to the trailer and to the subsequently the two songs that we've released, that this seems to be cinema that we'd like to watch on the big screen. So hoping for the West. And for you, Karthik, do you also take pressure of what's the film fate gonna be on the box office? I mean, I don't wanna put that kind of a pressure on any film of mine. And same with Chandu Champion. I've always, you know, tried to think in a very different manner where where this process has been really rewarding for me personally. And it's it's it's something which Madam Merelyo Sarah Jose statistics to baad Mein achuke mera mera Ojo process satisfying rag creatively. So I don't want to know now everything about it is just is just an add on. Having said that, you obviously you want Keha Ek level of success film ke saath rahe. It should not be a film. You know, God forbid you want more and more people to see your film because it's it's a labor of work of and and yeah, I think so. But I just wanted to work and and and I want as many people as, you know, they can. They should see the film. They should know the story of Murali Khan Pedkarji which is the important thing regarding Chandu Champion.