Highlights:
Bollywood actor Kartik Aaryan and popular director Karan Johar appear to be strengthening their professional relationship, with the actor reportedly set to headline another ambitious Dharma Productions project. The development comes years after their much-discussed fallout over Dostana 2, a controversy that Kartik largely chose not to address publicly.
According to an exclusive report by Bollywood Hungama, Kartik is set to lead Kaaliya, a large-scale mythological creature feature directed by Sandeep Modi, known for The Night Manager. The film is reportedly scheduled to begin production in December 2026, with an official announcement planned for Diwali. The announcement video is expected to be attached to prints of Ramayana, according to the publication.
A source told Bollywood Hungama that the project would be Karan Johar and his team's biggest and most ambitious film to date. The report describes Kaaliya as a big-budget spectacle rooted in mythology and featuring a creature-based narrative. The film remains in pre-production.
The reported collaboration marks another significant chapter in the relationship between Kartik and Johar, who previously made headlines after their professional association appeared to break down.
Kartik Aaryan's response to the Karan Johar fallout
In 2021, Dharma Productions announced that it would recast Dostana 2, despite Kartik having already filmed portions of the project. The production house declined to elaborate on the circumstances, saying it would maintain a dignified silence about the professional situation.
Kartik, meanwhile, largely avoided discussing the controversy in detail. At Agenda AajTak, he declined to comment directly on the film. In another interview, he said he was more concerned about the impact of public speculation on his family, who were not part of the film industry, and maintained that his work would speak for itself.
In 2022, when asked about reports of an industry lobby working against him, Kartik suggested that some stories were exaggerated, using the Hindi expression “baat ka batangad” to describe making a mountain out of a molehill.
His comments became more pointed during the promotion of Shehzada in February 2023. Appearing on Aap Ki Adalat, he said that when two people have an altercation, the younger person should not speak about it. He also dismissed rumors that a disagreement over his fee had led to his exit from Dostana 2, describing them as Chinese whispers.
From silence to renewed collaboration
The relationship appeared to take a positive turn in November 2023, when Dharma announced a new film featuring Kartik on his birthday. The actor expressed excitement about beginning a new journey with director Sandeep Modi and referred to Johar as a “powerhouse.”
Kartik later reiterated his preference for staying away from public controversies. During the promotion of Chandu Champion in 2024, he told The Lallantop that he had maintained his silence and continued focusing on his work rather than trying to prove anything.
Johar, for his part, has spoken more openly about moving past the disagreement. He said the two had discussed the matter internally, worked it out and decided to let bygones be bygones. He also praised Kartik's work ethic and popularity.
With Kaaliya now reportedly in the works, another collaboration would signal how far the professional relationship has evolved since the Dostana 2 dispute. While the latest project has yet to be officially announced, the reported reunion points to a partnership increasingly focused on future films rather than past controversy.
