The Pyaar Ka Punchnama team is back! Film Sonu Ke Titu Ki Sweety brings back Kartik Aaryan, Nushrat Bharucha and Sunny Singh in a rom com where Titu (Sunny) and Sweety (Nushrat) are in love, but have to deal with Sonu (Kartik), Titu’s super-possessive friend. In town recently to promote their February 23 release, Kartik and Nushrat chatted with t2 at Taj Bengal.  

KARTIK AARYAN

How similar or different is Sonu from your characters in the Pyaar Ka Punchnama movies?

Sonu, by far, is the character I have enjoyed playing the most. The trailer is just a teaser to what Sonu does in the film. From Rajjo (his character Rajat) in Pyaar Ka Punchnama to Sonu in this film, there has been a growth and a change. They are diametrically opposite characters. Rajjo doesn’t take his own decisions, he is more like Titu (the character Sunny Singh plays in Sonu Ke Titu Ki Sweety)... he listens to everyone but never has a say. But Sonu is street-smart, he knows what he wants and he will probably go ahead and take your decisions for you! Titu ke life ke bhi decisions woh le leta hai! He has this motherly instinct for Titu and is very protective about him. I have enjoyed playing Sonu a lot. I cannot wait for the film to release!

Your Instagram bio describes you as ‘Punchnama Baby’. Has it been tough to move away from the shadow of your debut film?

I don’t think that it’s limiting at all. People crave for a rom com image.

I won’t shy away from doing romantic hero roles, or even playing a bromance hero... that’s the tag I’ve been getting these days! (Laughs) Pyaar Ka Punchnama is my debut film and people do know me more because of it. Ladkiyan ‘Punchnama Baby’ bulaati rehti thi, toh maine kahin se sunn liya and just daal diya apne Instagram pe!

Both the Pyaar Ka Punchnama films had dialogues that are still quoted today. Will that be the case with Sonu Ke Titu Ki Sweety as well?

For that you’ll have to watch the film! I can only say that if you have liked the dialogues of Pyaar Ka Punchnama, you will love the dialogues of this one as well. The trailer itself shows you a glimpse of what’s in store. But this film is very different from Pyaar Ka Punchnama. It’s just that the cast and crew are almost the same.

In this film, you play a guy who doesn’t want to lose his best friend to a girl. In real life, have you ever been possessive of a friend?

There was this girl whom I couldn’t stand and neither could she stand me... but she ended up dating my best friend! The moment they started dating, my friend and I started having issues... we didn’t get enough time with each other. Saath mein movie nahin dekh paate... woh girlfriend ke saath hee jayega! Because she used to hate me, I couldn’t even third-wheel with them! Finally he broke up with her... then wapas doston ke paas aa gaya! (Laughs)
When it comes to me dating someone, my friends have never openly told me that they dislike the girl, but I get the vibe. Two of my friends used to hate a girl I dated, I was like, ‘Yaar, aisa kya ho gaya?!’ In the end I used to get sandwiched between the two of them! (Laughs)

What’s that one dating rule you follow?

You should be chivalrous, no matter what... no matter what I say in my movies! (Laughs)

What do you do to look so fit?

My fitness mantra is to eat healthy and stay healthy, and to work out daily for at least 45 minutes. In Sonu Ke Titu Ki Sweety, I look very lean and normal throughout the film because Luv Sir (Ranjan, director) wants his actors to appear natural and convincing. But for the song Chhote chhote peg, he wanted me to be ripped. He gave me two months and thankfully, my body reacted well to the crazy diet and workout. I was working out with Prashant Sawant who has trained Shah Rukh Sir... and also Varun (Dhawan) for all his films.

Because I am a vegetarian, getting the optimum protein intake was my biggest challenge. Seven days before the shoot, I had to limit water and stop my salt intake and that was the most frustrating part. Koi mujhe kuch bhi bol raha tha toh mujhe gussa aa jata tha. I am a foodie and when I was limited from eating, mujhe bahut gussa aata tha. But uska result kaafi achha aaya hai. I am really happy with it.

How are Varun Dhawan and Aayush Sharma as gym buddies?

Varun and Aayush are great gym partners. Varun is really motivating as an actor as well as a person. Woh itni filmein kar chuka hai but uske baad bhi, he is so focused. He keeps working on his body every day and that’s pretty inspiring.

We’ve seen you mostly in romantic roles. What else will we see you explore in the next few years?

Basically, my whole keeda of acting is because of Shah Rukh Khan Sir and Akshay Kumar Sir. There is a similarity between the two and both have created their own niche. Thankfully ek genre create ho gaya hai mere around jismein abhi aur koi hai nahin... bromantic hero koi hai nahin. Baazigar has always been my dream role... he (Shah Rukh) was the hero as well as anti-hero. Also, Akshay Kumar in Mujhse Shaadi Karogi. Yeh filmein mujhe bahut inspire karti hain.

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NUSHRAT BHARUCHA

Are you anything like Sweety?

She is like me in the way that she is not afraid of a challenge. Like me, she will fight if she’s put in a situation where her future is at stake  or for something that she believes in. She will pick a fight if it matters to her... even if it means that it’s with her boyfriend’s best friend. She will be like, ‘Okay, bring it on. I will see it till the end. She’s stubborn. I am guessing her zodiac is Taurus because that’s what mine is as well.

This is your fourth film with Kartik Aaryan. How’s the journey been like?

Any relationship will have its ups and downs. We met as co-actors, but didn’t know that we would be working together over the next seven years. We met, we talked, we didn’t like certain things, we liked certain things, we fought, we resolved them... back and forth, back and forth! I think now we have come to a place where we are in a happy friendship zone. We are just chill. Neither are we overly friendly, nor ‘under friendly’. I think we have come to a
peaceful coexistence.

Have you had to deal with any super obsessive friends like Sonu while you were dating  a guy?

Nooo! In fact, I have sort of been the Sonu. In fact when my best friend was dating a guy and would not be allowed alone, I had to go with her and her boyfriend everywhere I was the nicer Sonu! And unfortunately, the guy she was dating was my best friend too and I was secretly in love with him for years. It was torture! (Laughs)

The two Pyaar Ka Punchnama films have become very popular with Gen Y. Do you feel the pressure with this film?

We already knew that comparisons would be there. With the two Pyaar Ka Punchnama films we were doing something completely new. We could have easily done a ‘Pyaar Ka Punchnama 3’. But why do the same thing? This film is again a subject that nobody has explored... nobody has really done best friend and wife. There’s always been a love triangle, but it’s never been that there is a boy in the middle and a girl and a boy are fighting over him. I feel that the writing has given some major tashan  (style) to the character of the girl. Here I am actually my own person who’s giving it back.

Finally, your sense of style always comes in for praise...

I think I am just me. Like if you see me right now, I love this floral pink skirt with light pastels. I could have done a busy kind of top, but I just wanted a simple shirt, which I could just tie in and be comfortable. I have a vision in my head and touch wood, I have a team that executes it closest to what I imagine.

Zeba Akhtar
Pictures: B. Halder