By GoballyDATA 
We all have our role models. We hear their stories, pursue their footsteps, and get inspired to do great things. For today’s generation, a true icon is one who triumphs over all the travails. People who forge their way to success through all the odds and hardships. Film stars/actors have always been a great source of motivation for people. Especially those who have established themselves with years of struggle and without any support.
Kartik Aaryan is one of the faces of Bollywood that inspires millions of youth in our country. His journey of success is a true exemplar of what you call conviction and belief. Kartik was born and brought in Gwalior, Madhya Pradesh. Both his parents were doctors who didn’t have any connections in the film industry. They didn’t even know that their son harbored the ambition of becoming an actor from a young age.
In an interview, Karthik said that he watched Baazigar in 9th grade and that was the epiphany for him. He knew that wanted to be an actor. Now imagine, a teenager who didn’t even know the ABC of cinema nurtured a passion for acting. Joined an engineering college in Mumbai just so he could easily go for auditions. He skipped his classes and traveled for hours to show his talent to people who’d decide his fate.
Even though he started modeling successfully, he couldn’t make a mark in acting auditions. After a few failures, Kartik realized that he needed to hone his skills. So he did an acting course from Kreating Charakters Institute. In the initial days, Kartik couldn’t even afford a portfolio. He cropped his own photos and sent them to the agents. He also lived a typical struggler’s life sharing a rented dwelling with 12 roommates.
Steps Towards Success
After 2 and a half years of unrewarding auditioning, the silver lining finally appears in Kartik’s life. In 2011, he made his acting debut with ‘Pyaar ka Punchnama’. While sharing the screen with other actors, Kartik’s performance stood out. His character’s four-minute monologue became extremely popular among the youth. It was also one of the lengthiest shots ever done for a Hindi film till then. They also did well at the box office and Aaryan received a nomination for the Producers Guild Film Award for Best Male Debut.
But that wasn’t enough to catapult him into the mainstream arena of Bollywood. Kartik was still living in the rented flat and was wading through troubled waters. He definitely showed his potential and was recognized by a few directors. Success, was, however, a little ahead. His next film ‘Akash Vani’ was released two years later in which was the lead actor. Though the flick was praised by some critics, it failed to be a commercial success. Nevertheless, Kartik’s work was still recognized by famed director Subhash Ghai who cast him in his next directorial ‘Kaanchi’ in 2014.
Again, the film fell flat at the box office and didn’t give Aaryan the boost he wanted. The very next year, the sequel to Pyaar Ka Punchnama happened. It was panned by critics but received an overwhelming response from the audience. The film was a major success and it bagged him the Stardust Award for Best Actor In A Comic Role. In 2017, Kartik starred in a comedy film ‘Guest in London’. According to many experts, he did well but got overshadowed by the veteran actor Paresh Rawal.
The Breakthrough
Finally, in 2018, the breakthrough banged the door with ‘Sonu Ke Titu Ki Sweety’. The film was directed by Luv Ranjan who helmed Pyaar Ka Punchnama and Akash Vani. It became Aaryan’s biggest success till then and won him Zee Cine Award for Best Actor in a Comic Role too. After SKTKS, Aaryan didn’t look back. His next two ventures, Luka Chuppi, and Pati Patni Aur Woh were commercially successful. Kartik went on to win his second consecutive Zee Cine Award for Best Actor in a Comic Role.
In 2022, Kartik starred in the horror comedy ‘Bhool Bhulaiyaa 2’ which turned out to be his highest-grossing film so far. Being one of the leading faces in Bollywood, Kartik also has many endorsements in his kitty. In 2018, The Times of India ranked him eighth on the list of the country’s most desirable men. In 2019, he made it to Forbes India’s Celebrity 100 list and in 2021, he was 20th on Duff & Phelps’s list of most valuable celebrities of India. He was also chosen by the Election Commission of India to raise awareness of voter participation.
And after the success story of Kartik Aaryan, one can say that willpower and determination can take you anywhere. He is a true inspiration to the youth, especially, those living in small towns and tier 2 cities. His journey will remain encouraging every individual who has ambitious aspirations to achieve feats in any domain.