Bollywood actor Kartik Aaryan has found himself at the centre of conversation once again, not for his work on screen, but for a cryptic repost on Instagram that many fans and industry watchers are interpreting as a subtle critique of the blockbuster film Dhurandhar and its dominant presence at the box office. The film, starring Ranveer Singh, has smashed records and entered the ₹1000 crore club worldwide, making it one of the most commercially successful Indian films of the year. Dhurandhar’s massive success has had a notable impact on the performance of other films released around the same time, including Kartik’s own Tu Meri Main Tera Main Tera Tu Meri, which has struggled to match audience traction.
The conversation began when Kartik shared an Instagram Story featuring a positive quote about his film from screenwriter Saurabh Bharat. The note described Tu Mera as “heartwarming” and positioned it in contrast to what the critic called the “madness of hypermasculinity and testosterone-boasting action films.” The caption went on to congratulate the team for building a genre of cinema that entertains while also “pushing an envelope deep in society.” Kartik responded with a series of heart emojis over the reposted message, but did not add any additional commentary of his own.
The timing of Kartik’s post has fuelled speculation because it arrived shortly after Dhurandhar’s unprecedented commercial run. Directed by Aditya Dhar and starring Ranveer Singh alongside Akshaye Khanna, Dhurandhar has not only entered the ₹1000 crore club but also dominated media coverage and audience attention for weeks after its release. The film’s strong box office showing has coincided with a noticeable disparity in the commercial fortunes of much lighter, content-driven fare like Kartik’s recent release.
What has particularly caught the eye of fans is the tone quoted in the Instagram repost. The phrase “hypermasculinity and testosterone-boasting action films” is widely being read as an allusion to the very qualities that many associate with Dhurandhar’s narrative style, characterisation and marketing. Ranveer’s portrayal and the film’s celebration of high-octane action and espionage tropes have been part of what helped the movie thrive amid audience appetite for larger-than-life entertainment this year.
Kartik’s film, meanwhile, has faced mixed reviews from critics and comparatively low box office numbers. Released on December 25, Tu Meri Main Tera Main Tera Tu Meri earned in the realm of ₹23 crore domestically over its opening days, a figure far below Dhurandhar’s podium-shaking numbers. This commercial gap has amplified conversation about the different cinematic approaches the two films represent.
Despite online chatter, it is important to note that Kartik has not explicitly named Dhurandhar or its team in his post. The use of a reposted message that praises a contrasting style of cinema leaves room for interpretation, and many commentators on social platforms are debating whether this was a deliberate subtle statement or merely an endorsement of diverse storytelling within the industry.
This episode reflects a larger discussion in Bollywood, where films of very different sensibilities often release close together and invite comparisons not only in box office performance but also in cultural framing. With Dhurandhar continuing its box office run and sequels planned for release, and with Kartik’s film navigating its own theatrical journey, the effects of this social-media-sparked conversation are likely to evolve in the coming weeks.