The psychological thriller Freddy, headlined by Kartik Aaryan went on to become one of the most breakthrough films on OTT with audiences and critics giving the film a thumbs up and praising it for its edge-of-the-seat narrative and solid performances. In fact, several have touted it to be Aaryan’s finest performance to date, as he surprised audiences in an entirely new genre.
Interestingly, the movie's clever and well-planned marketing and promotional strategy, which took the unorthodox step of not releasing a feature trailer and instead introducing viewers to Freddy's universe through teasers and small clips, generated a lot of anticipation and curiosity about the thriller.
The strategy worked in the film’s favour and went on to set a new marketing benchmark, making this a unique and game-changing ‘less is more’ case study for filmmakers and studios.
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Apr 12, 2026Talking about Kartik’s contribution in marketing and promoting Freddy, producer Jay Shewakramani says, “Having Kartik on Freddy was a revelation not just in the manner he surprised audiences in a genre he’s never attempted before but also with his contribution to the film’s marketing and promotions. Very few know that it was Kartik who suggested and convinced us to do away with a trailer and instead tease audiences with just the Mini Clips and the songs. The strategy worked well for us and intensified the intrigue around the film, testimony of which is the kind of reception and love it has received.”
It's crucial for a movie to generate significant hype prior to release, but this can be challenging when it falls under the thriller category and targets audiences of all ages. However, Freddy had all boxes ticked appealing to a wide spectrum of the audience. Given the popularity and success of the film, Kartik appears to be the newest marketing prodigy, a title bestowed on industry stalwarts like Shah Rukh Khan and Aamir Khan in the past.
Says trade analyst Joginder Tuteja, “It’s proved time and again that the way a film is promoted has a deep impact on its performance and numbers. And Freddy is a recent example whose marketing and promotions were new but bang on. This year, Kartik has redefined movie promotions. Earlier with BB2 where he took marketing techniques to different levels post-pandemic. And now with Freddy, the actor understood the intrigue and mystery the genre had to create and spoke about it only to the length where you got a feel of the film but didn’t know its story. Kartik has an extremely sharp acumen for marketing and promotions, understanding the nuances of the game.
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