From Tu Meri Zindagi Hai to Nagzilla: Inside Kartik Aryan’s power-packed film slate

As Kartik Aryan celebrates his birthday, he stands at a turning point that could shape the next big chapter of his career. From a promising outsider with a monologue to a genuine crowd-puller with a loyal audience, Karthik has built his stardom on consistency, clean hits and connections that translate into numbers. But with Bollywood going through a wave of unpredictability, what will the next year hold for them, at the box office and beyond their rom-com comfort zone?

Interestingly, Karthik has been patient. With ‘Bhool Bhulaiyaa 3’ set to be successful during Diwali 2024, they are in no rush to flood the market. They have produced a slate that reflects ambition, scale, and a conscious effort to broaden their narrative bandwidth. let’s take a look:

1. ‘Tu Meri Main Tera Main Tera Tu Meri’ – 25 December 2025

Kartik started the year with ‘Tu Meri Main Tera Main Tera Tu Meri’. Reuniting with Ananya Panday, the film looks vibrant, young and firmly settled in the comfort zone that made Kartik a household name in the first place. A Christmas release with mass appeal brings him back in front of family audiences – a demographic that has always rewarded him generously. This is Karthik playing to his strengths, and this is just the first step.

2. ‘Nagzilla’ – August 14, 2026

This is where change happens. ‘Naagzilla’ marks Karthik’s bold leap into zoology – a place he has never entered before. The film promises large scale, heavy VFX and entirely new physical and emotional transformations for them.
If it succeeds well, it establishes Kartik not just as a rom-com favorite but as a bankable face for big-event cinema. It’s a gamble, but the kind that could change his approach to business.

3. ‘Tu Meri Zindagi Hai’ – May, 2026

This intense love story once titled ‘Aashiqui 3’ is now coming with a new name and a new pair – Kartik and Sreeleela. From the opening conversation, the film leans towards emotional depth, passion and musical immersion, allowing Karthik to enter more artistic and layered performance territory. This could be his chance to move beyond the predictable and embrace the unsettling allure of a performance-first narrative.

4. ‘Captain India’ – 2027

Directed by Shimit Amin, ‘Captain India’ is arguably Kartik’s most performed project in the last few years. Playing a pilot in an aviation drama inspired by true events, he finds a canvas rooted in realism and emotional grit. If executed well, this film could push him firmly into the category of “powerful actor at the box-office” – a place that very few young stars are able to achieve.

According to senior trade analyst Joginder Tuteja, Kartik Aryan has quietly and steadily moved into the top tier of Bollywood box-office performers. He said, “With ‘Bhool Bhulaiyaa 3’ becoming a major blockbuster and films like ‘Chandu Champion’ and ‘Satyaprem Ki Katha’ receiving love and awards, Kartik has built a strong, loyal audience that spans across genres.

For trading, the next 12 months are not just about releases but about consolidation. “Their upcoming lineup: from rom-coms to ‘Naagzilla’, ‘Captain India’ and Sreeleela Prem Kahani – has the potential to push them into the Rs 200-300 crore range consistently,” says Tuteja.

It is consistency that is often the true test of a new-age star.

Kartik Aryan’s 2025 slate seems like a strategic spread of comfort, risk, performance and scale – all working to expand his on-screen identity. For an actor who has already proved that he can draw a crowd, the next challenge is development.

If these projects pan out as planned, Kartik is looking at a breakout year that could establish him at the top of Bollywood – as a credible, multi-genre leading man.

As Karthik blows out the candles today, this versatility could be the most exciting gift waiting for him.