Kartik Aaryan is all set for the release of Bhool Bhulaiyaa 3 which clashes with Ajay Devgn’s Singham again this Diwali. The second film in this horror-comedy series was a huge success. What are the chances of part three being just as big if not bigger? Only time will tell.

In an exclusive interview with Firstpost, the leading man who is returning as Rooh Baba for the second time spoke about how no one thought the second part would do well, his preparations for the actor and the inevitable comparisons with Akshay Kumar, and the box office pressure on actors and stars these days .

Edited excerpts from the interview

Bhool Bhulaiyaa 2 was the only blockbuster in 2022 apart from KGF 2 and Drishyam 2, but those were legitimate sequels, this was a whole new story. Were you nervous before the release?

Not because of that. I was nervous because no one expected anything from it. Everyone said this wouldn’t work and no one would see it. There were so many articles at that time, but I feel that lower expectations were really good. But the way everyone saw the movie, I just couldn’t believe it. It was unbelievable to me that the theaters were full during covid-19. Everyone enjoyed the movie and they were entertained. And that is exactly what we promise with Bhool Bhulaiyaa 3 as well. During that time, it wasn’t about yeh pure sequel hai ya nahin hai.

We had a unique history and we had our own world. There were some characters with the same name because there was a relatability factor. Now Bhool Bhulaiyaa 2 is being remade in the south so it is the opposite. So Bhool Bhulaiyaa 3 is a new story in a way where you will see glimpses but it is still a new story.

You and Rajpal Yadav have done at least five films in the last two years. How does it feel to work with him? You two share amazing chemistry.

We’ve had great chemistry right from the first film. Now I feel a bit nervous when I don’t have him with me in any of my films. I share a great bond with him and there is some unspoken chemistry that is rare and unique.

How did you prepare for your character in Bhool Bhulaiyaa 2 and 3 as comparisons with Akshay Kumar were inevitable.

I think we had a script and I followed it completely. I followed Anees Bazmee’s directions. It was a mixture of these two things. At the end of the day, there was a lot of comedy in the script as well. This was my first time dealing with the horror genre. I had done comedy and romance in films like Sonu Ke Titu Ki Sweety, Pyaar Ka Punchnama 1 and 2, Pati Patni Aur Woh, Luka Chuppi.

I wouldn’t say it was easy to play this character, but I really enjoyed it. And I really enjoyed collaborating with Anees Bazmee. I think he understands comedy really well hamari Jodi bahut achchi bani.

Have we become really obsessed with Box Office and how much pressure do you feel?

Of late, talk about the box office has increased a lot. Also, with the kind of franchise this has become, the first thought that comes to people’s minds is how much collections the previous one did and how much this one would do. You can’t escape that and I’ve seen a lot of it too, but I’m not obsessed with Box Office collections, I’m actually obsessed with the content of the film. I want my work to be accurate and the audience to be entertained. They shall not say yaar yeh kya hua. I have also seen the movie and I think people will have fun. I hope that translates to box office collections as well

Chandu Champion was also a really serious story told. Is it a special role for you?

It’s a role that’s very close to my heart and it’s a film that I’m really proud of. It was the role of Mr. Murlikant Petkar who was India’s first Paralympic gold medallist. When I first heard the film, I was shocked that no one was aware of this story for so long. I am really glad that he is getting his time after 50 years. It was also the first time I played a character that is there for everyone to see. The way Kabir Khan made this film and Sajid Nadiadwala gave his all, I really enjoyed myself and completely immersed myself in the film for two years.

Subhash Ghai once said in an interview that Kartik is a very hero material. What does it take to be one?

(Laughs) Subhash Ji bol paayenge. Maybe he called me hero material because of some of my habits. It takes everything to be a hero; sometimes what happens is that you play a lot of extreme characters in movies, and woh properties aapko shadow kar lete hain. Also, to be a hero you have to make normal things interesting. you have to be palatable and acceptable on screen and that’s really hard. And sometimes decision makers see that in a lot of actors and then they say these things. It’s hard to be yourself in front of the camera, and that’s exactly what it takes to be a hero.