Bollywood actor Kartik Aaryan has another major achievement to his name. The actor won the National Award for Best Actor at the 72nd National Film Awards for Chandu Champion, alongside Mammootty for Bramayugam. Following the big win, Kartik celebrated the moment in a simple way by offering prayers to Lord Shiva.
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On Monday, Kartik took to Instagram and shared pictures of himself seeking blessings at the Mahakaleshwar Temple in Ujjain. The actor was seen wearing a baby pink shirt, standing with his hands folded in prayer and his forehead adorned with a tilak. He kept the caption simple and wrote, “Jai Mahakal”. In another picture from the temple, Kartik was seen sitting with his parents. He participated in the Shayan Aarti with folded hands. After the ritual, he followed the temple tradition by whispering his wishes into the ear of Nandi Maharaj before bowing at the shrine of Lord Mahakal and offering prayers.
Kartik’s visit comes just days after he was announced as one of the recipients of the 72nd National Film Awards. Soon after the announcement, Kartik posted an emotional video capturing his mother’s reaction to the news. Expressing his gratitude, the actor wrote, “Still processing… Some moments are simply bigger than words, and this is one of them. A dream I’ve carried for years has finally come true. Forever humbled, forever grateful. Best Actor National Award.” This is his first National Award.
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The biographical sports drama was written and directed by Kabir Khan, who also produced the film alongside Sajid Nadiadwala under the banner of Nadiadwala Grandson Entertainment. The film stars Kartik Aaryan in the titular role as India’s first Paralympic gold medallist, Murlikant Petkar. Apart from Kartik, the film also features Vijay Raaz, Bhuvan Arora, Yashpal Sharma, Rajpal Yadav and Shreyas Talpade, among others. Despite receiving positive reviews and widespread praise for Kartik’s performance, the film underperformed at the box office, collecting around ₹89 crore worldwide.
Kartik has Anurag Basu’s as-yet-untitled musical romantic drama in the pipeline. The film also stars Sreeleela in the lead role. It was originally scheduled for release in 2025 but has been delayed, with no new release date announced yet. Kartik also has Karan Johar-backed Nagzilla in the pipeline. Helmed by Mrigdeep Singh Lamba, the film features Kartik as an icchadhari naag (shapeshifting snake), with his character named Preyamvadeshwar Pyare Chand. It is scheduled to release on February 12, 2027.
