• Kartik Aaryan is reportedly one of the highest-paid actors in Bollywood today.
• The actor opened up about earning 20 crores for a movie, which he filmed during the Covid-19 pandemic.
• He calls himself the ‘Shehzada (prince)’ of Bollywood.

According to reports, Kartik Aaryan is one of Bollywood’s highest-paid actors right now. The actor, whose first movie Pyaar Ka Punchnaama (2011) paid him 1.25 lakh rupees, opened up about making 20 crore rupees for a movie that he shot during the Covid-19 pandemic. The actor, who referred to himself as the “Shehzada (prince)” of Bollywood, further elaborated on why he was deserving of the compensation in a recent interview.

In the past, it was claimed that Kartik Aaryan received 20 crores for just 10 days of work on the 2021 terror thriller Dhamaka by Ram Madhvani. The actor, however, had not formally affirmed it. Now, in addition to discussing his supposed 20 crore remuneration, he also explained why filmmakers give him the huge sum.

Kartik was told by journalist Rajat Sharma he had become ‘so obsessed’ with himself that after earning ‘sava lakh ( ₹1.25 lakh)’ in his first film (Pyaar Ka Punchnaama), he was now asking for ₹20 crores. The actor blushed, and replied, “Woh to dus din ke hain (This was for 10 days).” When he said he was joking, the host corrected him, and said in Hindi, “No, you are not joking. For the film you shot during Covid-19 pandemic in 10 days, you took ₹20 crore.” Kartik then said, “Sir yeh kiya tha corona ke time pe, par kya mein aise dicuss kar sakta hoon apni fees, mujhe nahi pata. Par haan woh ek film (Dhamaka) aise bani aur dus din ka shoot tha uska. Woh mera remuneration tha aur main dus din mein kya, bees din mein paise double kar deta hoon apne producers ke, toh banta hai (Yes, during the Covid-19 pandemic I had shot for the film for 10 days and that was my remuneration. I make my producers earn double the money in 20 days, so I think I deserve what I am paid).”

Karthik was also told that he said started acting like he was ‘hero number one’ after Bhool Bhulaiyaa 2; the horror-comedy was one of the highest-grossing Bollywood films released in 2022. To which the actor responded in Hindi, “I have always seen myself as no. 1, slowly people are also getting to know that and are seeing me like that. But the audience’s love is what matters the most to me. I am desperate for their love and only for that am I obsessesed with myself and want to give hit films… there’s only one Shehzada (prince) in the film industry.”

Kartik last appeared with Alaya F in Freddy. The movie was made available on Disney+ Hotstar. The future work of Kartik includes the Anurag Basu-produced film Aashiqui 3. Shehzada, who is also his, is with Kriti Sanon. The movie, which also stars Manisha Koirala, Paresh Rawal, and Ronit Roy, is an adaptation of Allu Arjun’s Ala Vaikunthapurramuloo into Hindi.

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