Kartik Aaryan, who’s been one of the faces of Bollywood’s modern rom-com for years, is currently filming 'Tu Meri Main Tera', a breezy new drama co-starring Ananya Panday and directed by Anurag Basu in Europe's picturesque Croatia.
Both Panday and Aaryan are shooting a light, summery romance across Croatia just weeks before releasing what might be Aaryan's most intense role yet.
Speaking on location from Europe, Aaryan reportedly described the project as “a very fresh kind of story—emotional, but not heavy. It breathes”.
The production, which is set to wrap by July-end, has taken the team through stunning locales and logistical hiccups.
“We were shooting on an island and had to halt because of some objections,” Aaryan recalls. “It happens when you’re filming in unfamiliar terrain, but we adapted. The view made it worth the trouble.”
The actor’s on-set reunion with Ananya Panday—his co-star from 'Pati Patni Aur Woh'—brings a kind of full-circle comfort.
“Ananya keeps things light. She hasn’t changed much, and I mean that in a good way,” he grins. Together, they’re shooting scenes framed by sea breezes and cobblestone streets, with cinematographer Sudeep Chatterjee bringing in a lush, romantic aesthetic.
This film with Panday, in a way, is touted as Aaryan's return to his romantic roots, post the intense maturity that came with his previous film, 'Chandu Champion', directed by Kabir Khan.
“Every film gives you something. With Chandu Champion, I learned resilience. With this one, I’m learning stillness,” he had told THE WEEK, ahead of the release of 'Chandu Champion'.
“I literally swam in freezing water for this film”, he said with a laugh back then,"but more than that, I had to swim against my own image”.
Gone is the chaotically lovable Rooh Baba of Bhool Bhulaiyaa 2, the wide-eyed Sattu from Satyaprem Ki Katha, or the affable Bantu of Shehzada. Chandu Champion introduced a version of Kartik Aaryan stripped of his signature toothy grin and playful monologues.
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“It’s the first time I’ve had to completely let go of my comfort zone,” he reflected.
This departure mirrors a deeper shift. While 'Tu Meri Main Tera' may be positioned as a vacation romance, for Aaryan, it also seems like a breather: a moment of lightness after months of emotional intensity. The film, backed by Bhushan Kumar, is designed as a romance for the big screen—one framed by scenic beauty and emotional sincerity.
From viral monologues in 'Pyaar Ka Punchnama' to a performance-driven biopic and a European romance, Kartik Aaryan’s journey is no longer about breaking in—it’s about breaking free.
And beneath the casual tone lies a new Kartik Aaryan—one shaped by the transformative experience of 'Chandu Champion', his first biopic, where he portrayed India’s first Paralympic gold medallist, Murlikant Petkar. The film had marked a departure from the actor’s signature brand of goofy, romantic charm.
As the European summer unfolds and the cameras roll, it’s clear Kartik Aaryan is in the middle of his own cinematic shift. No longer boxed in by genre or image, he moves fluidly between tones, roles, and expectations.
