Did Kartik Aaryan take Rs 150 million pay cut after Tu Meri Main Tera Main Tera Tu Meri debacle?

Not every Christmas gift hits the sweet spot at the box office. Kartik Aaryan and Ananya Panday's romantic comedy, Tu Meri Main Tera Main Tera Tu Meri (TMMTMTTM), released over the festive season, failed to make a mark. But the actor is proving that generosity is always in fashion: Reports say Kartik has voluntarily forgone Rs 15 crore (Rs 150 million) of his fee following the film’s underwhelming performance.

Stepping up when the numbers don't

According to a report in Bollywood Hungama, Kartik’s gesture came shortly after the film’s release, with sources stressing that rumors of tension between him and Karan Johar or Dharma Collab Artists Agency (DCAA) are “baseless.” “In fact, Kartik extended a gesture of support towards his producer days after the film’s release by waiving off Rs 15 crores from his fee,” the report said.

This isn’t the first time the actor has shown such support. He previously returned a chunk of his remuneration for Shehzada after the film underperformed, a Hindi remake of the Telugu hit Ala Vaikunthapurramloo starring Allu Arjun.

In an earlier interview to ETimes, Kartik explained that he wasn’t originally a producer on Shehzada and had taken his fees, but when the film faced a crisis, he gave up his remuneration to help ease the burden, which eventually led to him becoming a co-producer. He noted this happened while juggling another project, Bhool Bhulaiyya 2.

Directed by Sameer Vidwans, TMMTMTTM hit theatres on Christmas to mixed reviews. The film reunited Kartik and Ananya, who previously starred in 2019’s Pati Patni Aur Woh. Jackie Shroff and Neena Gupta play pivotal roles, and the project was produced under Karan Johar’s Dharma Productions.