The actor may be playing an overcautious buddy to a gullible, love lorn friend but he does not believe the film, directed by Luv Ranjan, pits bromance against romance.
"There are two friends and the new entry is the woman. We have not really revealed who the 'bad' person is. In the trailer, you can't figure out who's at fault or if there's anyone at fault at all. The film is more than just bromance versus romance. 'Punchnama' was also not against women, but against wrong relationships," Aryan told PTI.
"I am happy that people remember me as the 'Pyaar Ka Punchnama' monologue guy. But I also feel that I had done many other things in the film. Overall I'm really happy in the space. I wanted to become the biggest romantic hero when I was starting out.
"I'm a huge fan of Shah Rukh Khan and Akshay Kumar, I relate to their journeys as an outsider. It's a big box (romance genre). I'll fill a really small space in the romantic genre if I'm stereotyped as a chocolate hero. I'm more than happy with that image. I wanted this image."
"Luv sir and I have developed a great relationship over these four films. He even calls me the 'Punchnama Baby' as he has seen me grow as an actor. I'm quite possessive about him as he's my first director. I'd even do a one-scene part. I would want to star in all the movies that he makes. But I want to work with others too."
The film, also starring Nushrat Bharucha and Sunny Singh, is set to be released on February 23.