In Imtiaz Ali's next, Kartik Aaryan is both Raghu and Veer respectively in two stories; one set in 1990s Udaipur, Rajasthan and the other in present-day Delhi. Taking on a double role for the first time in his career, the young actor has spoken about channeling himself into the two different characters.
As the 1990s character Raghuvendra aka Raghu, the actor gets to examine the excitement of first love. With newcomer Arushi Sharma as Leena, the school romance blossoms through movie dates and high school socials. His character is also fascinated by the film Qayamat Se Qayamat Tak (1988) starring Aamir Khan and Juhi Chawla.
Meanwhile, Veer is a twenty-something software programmer from Delhi, who is described as "an idealist who looks for a certain honesty and meaning in his relationships". This millennial is socially awkward and has trouble expressing his emotions, a trait that endears him to Sara Ali Khan's character, Zoe.
The actor described his two diverse characters saying, "The two roles were very distinct, in the way they look, react and relate to people around them."
"Veer is a modern guy, somewhat geeky and socially awkward. He is sure of what he wants and that also sets him apart from the people around him. On the other hand, Raghu represents any teenage boy who has grown up in the 1990s," he said.
"Both Raghu and Veer are different when in love. Raghu is dramatic and animated as he goes through the excitement and thrill of first love with his high school crush Leena, in the picturesque town of Udaipur. Veer is sure of what he feels for Zoe but too inarticulate to express it to her. Therefore, understanding Raghu and Veer required not only getting into their individual character’s skin, but also an understanding of the time period where their stories are set," Aaryan continued.
Writer-director Ali added of his two creations, "Veer is an idealist, a loner, a geek. He is a software programmer by profession. He is socially awkward, very clear in his mind though looking confused at all times. He reads quotations from the backs of trucks and coasters at bars and sets the principles of his life."
"Raghuvendra Shekhawat or Raghu lives in Udaipur in the 1990s. He is extremely passionate and romantic. He is impulsive but very strong. While portraying Veer and Raghu, I did not compare one with the other. When Kartik played Veer, he was not thinking about Raghu and vice versa," the filmmaker said.
"There is an innocence, passion and impractical idealism in both characters but in different ways, so we concentrated on one character at a time. While training we worked a lot on the body language of both the characters so that he walks, talks and behaves differently while portraying them. Kartik played both the parts with great energy and even the unit felt like they were working with two different actors while shooting with Veer or Raghu!" Ali stated.
Love Aaj Kal, with music by Pritam, is due to be released on Valentine's Day 2020.