In 2022, Kartik Aaryan and Anurag Basu broke the internet when they announced their much-anticipated collaboration for Aashiqui 3. The pairing was exciting for fans, but the journey to the big screen has been anything but straightforward. What started as a simple announcement quickly turned into a whirlwind of changes, casting rumours, and behind-the-scenes drama. Initially, Triptii Dimri was announced as the female lead, creating a lot of buzz.
However, her departure from the project was soon rumoured to be linked to her image post-Animal (2023). Sources speculated that her persona might not fit the evolving narrative of the film, but director Anurag Basu later clarified that her exit was purely due to scheduling conflicts. He also revealed that the film¡¯s title was being changed and assured fans that a new lead actress would be joining Kartik. That actress is now confirmed to be Sreeleela.
Fresh off her superhit performance in Pushpa 2: The Rule, where she lit up the screen with her sizzling item number Kissik, Sreeleela is the new face opposite Kartik Aaryan in this highly anticipated musical. Known for her work in Telugu and Kannada cinema, this marks her Bollywood debut. With the powerhouses of Anurag Basu and Pritam at the helm, the project¡¯s title remains under wraps.
The teaser for the film was dropped recently and gave fans a glimpse into an intense love story. In the clip, Kartik¡¯s character, a brooding rockstar, sings the soulful?Tu hi aashiqui hai, setting the tone for what seems like a heart-wrenching, emotional journey. With his long hair, scruffy beard, and guitar in hand, Kartik¡¯s look has drawn comparisons to two legendary performances: Ranbir Kapoor in?Rockstar?(2011) and Shahid Kapoor in?Kabir Singh?(2019).??
While everything seems right, the internet is not convinced. One user wrote, ¡°Biggest test of Anurag Basu's career ahead of him: making Sreeleela act.¡± Another said, ¡°That Sreeleela girl cannot act I can feel it sitting here.¡± The third said, ¡°It feels awkward to see them romance. With his hairy unkempt ¡°homeless¡± look he looks even more aged, while she looks much younger than she is.¡± Someone joked, ¡°Acting ki ma behen kar denge dono lead actors milke idhar lol. No hope both can't act to save their lives.¡±
This untitled film which is NOT Aashiqui 3 will clash with Ayushmann Khurrana and Rashmika Mandanna¡¯s horror-comedy Thama on Diwali 2025.
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