In the weeks leading up to the release of maze 3Kartik Aaryan and the film’s team made several efforts to avoid clashing with Rohit Shetty’s tent-pole cop drama Singham AgainIt was clear that both the films would outperform each other at the box office and the makers of the horror-comedy had earlier announced their release date.
“We planned it this way Diwali Have been entertained long before I could do this.” The golden hue of the winter sun is casting long shadows across the room, says Aryan, lying on a plush sofa near the floor-to-ceiling windows of his Juhu penthouse.“We really urged them to take it forward. But he had his own internal issues and could not do it. Unfortunately, both the films were released on the same day. We were up against a huge, huge multi-starrer film, and no one – even those of us who worked on the film – expected it to do so well,” He says. maze 3 has proven to be one of the biggest hits of the year, and its success was a much-needed boost for an industry that faces a turbulent, challenging 2024. Its performance has also cemented Aryan’s place as a leading man.
Earlier this year, Aryan was seen in Kabir Khan’s film Chandu Champion And while the film didn’t make a splash at the box office, the actor’s performance was heartfelt and poignant, showcasing depth and versatility that went beyond the formulaic roles he was associated with. “That film gave me so much recognition, so much confidence as an actor. I needed this.” Whereas earlier the only pressure on them was to play the role they were given because they didn’t have the freedom of choice, these days it’s all about making sure their choices pay off. “That’s why I involve myself in departments outside of my own — whether a film is being written correctly, being shot well, how the editing is going.”
It feels like a slippery slope. Given how films are largely the vision of the director, a star’s reaction could be seen as interference. “I understand that, but I can make constructive suggestions only when other people accept it… and when other people think I am creative enough to make those types of suggestions,” He laughs. “I know there is a limit I cannot cross. Otherwise it will cause tension in the relationship.”
