Karan Johar and Kartik Aaryan are fast emerging as one of Bollywood’s most talked-about actor–filmmaker duos. With two major projects—Tu Meri Main Tera Main Tera Tu Meri and the big-scale fantasy entertainer Naagzilla—already in the pipeline, the pair is reportedly gearing up for yet another collaboration. According to a report by Bollywood Hungama, Karan Johar is all set to launch a third project with Kartik, marking a hat-trick between the two. The film is expected to go on floors in August 2026.
A source quoted in the report revealed that Kartik has already given his nod to KJo for this new venture, though the team is keeping all details strictly under wraps. “Within Dharma, he’s now being positioned as the banner’s new poster boy,” the insider claimed, adding that Johar sees Kartik as one of the most bankable stars in the industry today. With both Tu Meri Main Tera Main Tera Tu Meri and Naagzilla being mounted as big-ticket films, Dharma Productions is reportedly placing strong box office expectations on Kartik’s shoulders.
What makes the upcoming third film more intriguing is that it is said to be “genre-defining,” with Karan and Kartik having jointly developed the concept from scratch. Though specifics about the storyline remain undisclosed, the project is being touted as something novel and ambitious—possibly unlike anything the actor-director duo has worked on before.
This development comes shortly after the same entertainment portal reported that Karan Johar intends to turn Naagzilla into a full-fledged franchise. In this supernatural fantasy comedy, Kartik Aaryan plays Preyamvadeshwar Pyare Chand, an ichchadhari naag. His first look—revealed in April—showed the actor in a quirky yet dramatic avatar, promising a fresh take on folklore fused with laughter. Karan Johar had teased the film on social media, writing, “Insanon wali picturein toh bahut dekh li, ab dekho naagon wali pichchar!”
Interestingly, Johar plans to keep Kartik as the only constant in the Naagzilla series, with the rest of the cast and crew expected to change with every installment. Pre-production for the sequel will reportedly begin soon after the first film hits theatres.
Produced by an ensemble team including Karan Johar, Mahaveer Jain, Adar Poonawalla, Apoorva Mehta, Mrighdeep Singh Lamba, and Sujit Jain, Naagzilla is slated for release on 14 August 2026. With yet another Kartik–Karan project lined up immediately afterward, the duo seems poised to form one of Bollywood’s most exciting creative partnerships in the coming years.