Watch: Kartik Aaryan Turns Shape-Shifting Snake In ‘Naagzilla’, Release Date Out
Kartik Aaryan is transforming into a shape-shifting snake in ‘Naagzilla’, produced by Karan Johar. It set to clash with Varun Dhawan’s ‘Bhediya 2’.
Ever imagined a shape-shifting snake going head-to-head with a werewolf? Indian cinema is turning that wild fantasy into reality. Kartik Aaryan has announced his upcoming film ‘Naagzilla’, produced by Karan Johar’s Dharma Productions. The fantasy entertainer is set to hit theatres on August 14, 2026, the same day as Maddock Films’ highly anticipated ‘Bhediya 2’, starring Varun Dhawan. Karan Johar dropped the motion poster on Instagram, showcasing a shirtless Kartik Aaryan as Preyamvadeshwar Pyare Chand, an Ichchadhaari Naag. A shirtless Kartik can be seen looking at a city from a snake-infested lair.
In the motion poster, Kartik Aaryan is seen wearing just a pair of blue jeans and has a scaly, green snake-like skin. Karan Johar captioned the post, "Insanon wali picharein toh bahut dekh li, ab dekho naagon wali pichchar! #NaagZilla - Naag lok ka pehla kaand… Funnn phailaane aa raha hai – Preyamvadeshwar Pyare Chand… Naag Panchami par aapke nazdeeki Sssssinemas mein - 14 August 2026 ko!"
Check out the motion poster here:
Directed by Mrighdeep Singh Lamba of ‘Fukrey’ fame and written by Gautam Mehra, ‘Naagzilla’ reportedly aims to blend fantasy, folklore, and fun in a totally whacky cinematic experience. The film is being backed by Karan Johar, Mahaveer Jain, Adar Poonawalla, Apoorva Mehta, Mrighdeep Singh Lamba, and Sujit Jain.
Reactions from the audience were mixed. Some found the concept bizarre, comparing it to Ekta Kapoor’s iconic TV series ‘Naagin’. One user quipped, “The Ektafication of Dharma Productions. Such are the times.” Another one joked, “@ektarkapoor ke pet pe laat.”
Others took jabs at Dharma’s shift from emotional family dramas to fantasy genre experiments, urging Karan Johar to return to his classic style. One user, “Nooo plzzzz! Koi louta de mere beete hue din! Why Dharma why I miss the golden era of Dharma so very much now... I want writer Karan Johar to come back plz.”
Another one said, “Noooo please… I miss your good movies era @karanjohar .. K2H2, K3G, KANK, Kapoor & Sons. Done with period drama and no sense movie.”
A social media user even mistook it for a prank, asking, “Is this an April Fool’s joke?”
Several fans were also surprised by the early announcement of the 2026 release date, commenting, “Badi jaldi bata dia shayad,” and “2026? Too early to announce, I guess.”
This will be Kartik’s second collaboration with Dharma Productions after their upcoming Valentine’s Day release ‘Tu Meri Main Tera, Main Tera Tu Meri’.
With ‘Bhediya 2’ also scheduled for the same date as ‘Naagzilla’, a box office clash might be on the cards unless one of the films decides to shift. ‘Bhediya 2’ is part of Maddock Films’ growing Supernatural Universe, and it's unclear yet if the makers will hold their ground.
Meanwhile, Kartik Aaryan has another major project in the pipeline – a romantic musical directed by Anurag Basu and co-starring South sensation Sreeleela, who’s making her Bollywood debut. Though the title is under wraps, the film’s first look dropped on February 15, showing Kartik as a heartbroken singer and Sreeleela as his love interest.
