Kartik Aaryan shares a romantic picture with Sreeleela calling her ‘Zindagi’ amid Aashiqui 3 title tug of war - Check out

The buzz around Kartik Aaryan’s next has been at its peak, and not for all the right reasons. Initially titled Aashiqui 3, the film was later left untitled due to a legal dispute with the original makers. What followed was another set of rumors, speculating that Aaryan is now dating his co-star Sreeleela, with their alleged relationship developing on the movie's sets.

Now, the latest update is that Kartik Aaryan has shared the first behind-the-scenes still from the movie on his Instagram handle, and it is one of the dreamiest pictures on his feed so far. Read on to know everything you should about the same.

Kartik Aaryan Shares Still With Sreeleela

For the unversed, the untitled movie is being written and directed by Anurag Basu, the acclaimed filmmaker known for movies like Ludo, Barfi, and Life In A Metro. Basu, who has already voiced his excitement for the project, has also called it a beautiful love story.

Now, Kartik Aaryan has shared a new picture with Sreeleela, showing them sitting in a picturesque tea garden in Siliguri. While Kartik is seen wearing a pink and red sweater with faded blue pants, Sreeleela looks stunning in a peach-colored dress. Two cups of tea can be seen placed beside them, adding to the romantic setting.

Meanwhile, just yesterday, several behind-the-scenes stills from the movie’s sets surfaced on the internet. Kartik Aaryan’s post caption read, “Tu Meri Zindagi Hai”, but there is no clarity on whether this is the movie’s title or just a caption. Only the makers can confirm.

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Aashiqui 3 Title Fiasco

Originally set to be produced by Bhushan Kumar and Mukesh Bhatt (the producer of the original Aashiqui and its sequel), Aashiqui 3 was later announced in March 2024 with Kumar as the sole producer. The film was promoted under the title Aashiqui 3, with Kartik Aaryan singing “Tu Hi Aashiqui Hai” in the announcement teaser, which hyped up fans.

However, discussions soon emerged about renaming the movie Tu Aashiqui Hai, just around the time Triptii Dimri exited the film, making way for Sreeleela. But things took an even more dramatic turn soon after. In September 2024, Mukesh Bhatt, the producer of the first two films, took the matter to court, as per Hindustan Times, to resolve the title dispute. The judgment was in Bhatt’s favor, prohibiting T-Series from using the Aashiqui title.

More interestingly, the court even barred the makers of the Kartik Aaryan-Sreeleela starrer from using the word Aashiqui in their new title."There were discussions between the parties for a third installment of the Aashiqui franchise, which was also jointly announced to the public. Furthermore, they highlight that the Defendant (T-Series) has already promoted a public narrative suggesting that their upcoming film is the third installment of the Aashiqui franchise. This perception is further reinforced by the Defendant’s (T-Series) application to register the title 'Tu Hi Aashiqui'. In these circumstances, the Plaintiff (Mukesh Bhatt) contends that confusion is inevitable, and the Defendant (T-Series) should be restrained from using the term 'Aashiqui' in the title of its proposed film, as it risks misleading the public into believing that the new film is part of the Aashiqui franchise, thereby violating the Plaintiff’s rights in the 'Aashiqui' brand," the High Court order read.

Makers Still Hoping To Mend Things

The teaser that was released earlier this week announced the release date but did not reveal the title, leaving fans curious about what is happening.

While Kartik Aaryan reportedly wants Aashiqui in the title, the makers are also keen on making it happen. Reports now suggest they are trying to reach a middle ground and convince the Bhatts to let them use the title.

However, with the movie set to release on Diwali 2025, the team doesn’t have much time. They will need to finalize a title soon, as promotions must begin in the next few months.Touted to be a Pritam musical, the Anurag Basu directorial is slated for a grand theatrical release on Diwali 2025, starring Kartik Aaryan alongside Sreeleela.

Stay tuned to OTTplay for more updates on this and everything else from the world of streaming and films.

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