Kartik Aryan was roped in to play the lead in Karan Johar’s Dostana 2 in 2018. However, he is now out of the film now. While Karan Johar’s Dharma Productions hasn’t yet announced who replaced Kartik, it did cause quite a stir on social media, especially given reports of Sushant Singh Rajput being ousted from several films in the past are still fresh in the public memory. “Unavailability of dates” was cited as the reason behind Kartik leaving the film. Now, Kartik has reacted to the controversy for the first time on Agenda AajTak 2021.

“I am not a part of any Bollywood camps. I have reached wherever I am today because of my talent. And I will do the same in the future,” Kartik said at Agenda AajTak 2021 when asked about what he thinks of ‘Bollywood camps’.

When asked to comment on his ouster from Karan Johar’s Dostana 2, Kartik said, “I don’t want to comment on Karan Johar’s film Dostana 2.”

Kartik’s latest release Dhamaka on Netflix was a hit. It was praised by the audience and the critics alike. Talking about the response he’s received, Kartik said, “I’m grateful for the response to Dhamaka. The film was shot during the lockdown, one of the first films to be shot at the time, it was completed within 9-10 days. People are calling it Kartik 2.0 because perhaps this is the first time I am being seen in a different genre, it’s not a rom-com.”

A lot has changed for Kartik since his monologue days in Pyaar Ka Punchnama to Sonu Ki Titu Ki Switty to anchor Arjun Pathak in Dhamaka. “I have started taking more risks, I am challenging myself, taking up new genres,” added Kartik. He also credited the lockdown which gave him time to think, “It’s more to do with the lockdown which gave me perspective. I got time, so I could think about my career and what to do next.”

Now, Kartik has Shehzada, Captain India, Satyanarayan Ki Katha and Bhool Bhulaiyaa 2, among others in the pipeline.

Coming back to Dostana 2, the film is a sequel to the 2008 hit Dostana, starring Priyanka Chopra, John Abraham and Abhishek Bachchan. Dostana 2 stars Janhvi Kapoor as the leading lady. The film will also mark the Bollywood debut of television actor Lakshya.