"Kartik Aryan is not like a typical star..." Aroh Welankar

Aroh Welankar, who won the Debut Filmfare Award for his debut film 'Reggae', has shown his acting skills in many Marathi films. Aroh has made his debut in the Hindi film industry with Kabir Khan's film Chandu Champion. Chandu Champion was released in theatres on 14 June and was well received by the audience. In the film, Aroh is playing the role of Muralikant Petkar's son. Let us tell you what Aroh has to say about this film and his upcoming projects.

You are making your debut in the Hindi film industry with Chandu Champion. How has been your shooting journey for this film? What would you like to say about it?

My journey with this film was very good. When we shoot a film, we have no idea how it will look on screen. To tell you the truth, when I saw this film for the first time, I was very happy. I have been working in the Marathi industry for eight to nine years and this is my first Hindi film. I felt very good seeing myself on screen. I also felt very good being a part of such a film. I thank Kabir Khan Sir, Sajid Nadiadwala sir, and Kartik Bhai a lot. They have given a very good story to the people and have made a very good film in which I have a good small role. This journey will always be memorable for me because when you do anything for the first time, it is special. This is my first Hindi film and it is very special for me.

You have also received the Filmfare Award for your Marathi film, what would you like to say about it?

My first film 'Reggae' which was released eight years ago, got me the Debut Filmfare Award. Just two years ago, my film 'Rajat Kamal' also won the National Award. I am remembering the journey from there to here, and I am happy to know that all the hard work I had put in is now paying off. I hope this film will be nominated for many awards and will also win.

How was the experience of working with Kabir Khan and Kartik Aaryan?

Kabir Sir was always on my wish list of co-workers. Whenever an actor thinks of acting, he has a wish list that includes writers, directors, and actors. Sajid Nadiadwala, Kabir Khan, and Kartik Aaryan, I think these three are a very deadly combination. These three people were on my list. When I came to know that I was going to work with such a big director, many things were going on in my mind about how each thing would happen. I would like to give the credit for this film to Kabir Sir who does not sit on the monitor and order his assistants to explain the scenes to everyone. He was always present on the set, he used to explain the scenes to us and also took input from us about the scenes. We have seen his hard work on the set and his hard work is visible in the film. He has created magic on screen. It was also very nice to work with Kartik Aaryan. I never clean shaved, for this film, I had a clean shave for the first time. I was surprised to see that after shaving I look a bit like Kartik Aaryan. Kartik is also an engineer and I am also an engineer. We come from the same family background, and it was a great comfort to work with him. He is not like a typical Bollywood star. We chatted a lot during the shoot and I miss all these things a lot. This whole experience was very good for me and it is very special for me.

You said in an interview that your last day of shooting in this film was very special for you. Tell us something about it.

My last day was also the last day of this film. My last shot is also the last shot of this film. In that shot, Kartik and I return to the village. That last shot was very beautiful and the whole atmosphere was extremely beautiful. Sudeep Chatterjee, who is the DOP of our film, is currently one of the best DOPs in India. When I saw the film and saw myself on screen, I remembered all the scenes and things related to it one by one. In our last shot, we were shooting in a train. Whenever the director said cut in that scene, the train had to be pulled back. During this time, Kartik and I talked a lot about life and shared many things on a personal level. All this was a very memorable experience for me.

You have also done many Marathi films, you have a different fan following. What kind of response are you getting from fans for Chandu Champion?

I am getting a very good response. I am also getting a lot of personal messages. People are also calling me and telling me that they saw the film and they liked it very much. Everything is very positive and people like the film very much.

What was your reaction when you got to know that you had to play the role of Kartik Aaryan's son in this film? Tell us something about it.

I have started with theatre but when you learn acting then you are prepared for such situations. There is not much age difference between Kartik and me, but credit should go to Kartik's team who did Kartik's prosthetic makeup. When we were shooting, I never felt that I was shooting with a young person. Kartik was doing a very good job and I think that is why I felt very comfortable. When I did a clean shave then I felt that yes I could do this character because I look a little like Kartik Aaryan. I also congratulate our film's casting director Mukesh Chhabra who did such a good casting and gave me a chance to be a part of this film. Before the shoot, I was also a little scared that I didn't know how it would be but when I saw myself on the screen, I looked like his son and I liked that very much.

Would you like to tell us something about your upcoming projects?

Two of my big Marathi films are going to be released, one of which is 'Dharamveer 2' which is a big picture and is being produced by Zee Studios. I have an important role in this film. There is another sequel to this film and I am in that too. After this, there is another big picture of Zee Studios which will be released in five languages ​​and this will be Akshay Kumar's first Marathi film. The name of the film is 'Veer Daudle Sathi' which is directed by Mahesh Manjrekar. I have a lead role in this film too. I am doing two projects in Hindi. One project is with Shabbir Boxwala who wrote the film 'Shershah' and the other is a Hindi web series about which I cannot tell anything right now. This year is packed and I am very excited about it.

What would you like to say to your fans?

I would just like to say to the fans, keep giving me the same love as you have given me till now and keep watching my films.

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