'Great PR budget': Sidharth Malhotra's remark about Kartik Aaryan on Koffee With Karan 9 sparks buzz

From promotional campaigns to social media visibility, public relations has become an important part of the entertainment industry. Now, Sidharth Malhotra has added to that conversation with a cheeky comment about fellow actor Kartik Aaryan during his appearance on Karan Johar's chat show Koffee With Karan season 9. His response during the rapid-fire round has caught attention, particularly after he joked about Kartik having a "Great PR budget".

Sidharth Malhotra's cheeky response about Kartik Aaryan

The latest episode of Koffee With Karan season 9 featured Sidharth Malhotra and his wife, actor Kiara Advani. While the couple shared personal anecdotes and discussed their relationship, the rapid-fire segment delivered an unexpected moment involving another Bollywood star, Kartik Aaryan.

During the game, host Karan Johar asked Sidharth what one thing Kartik had that he did not. Responding without much hesitation, the actor said, "Great PR budget that he has." The quick remark stood out during the segment, with Sidharth seemingly poking fun at Kartik's considerable media visibility and publicity presence. Karan, however, did not react at length and simply continued with the next question.

Internet to Sidharth Malhotra's 'great PR budget' remark about Kartik Aaryan

The exchange has since attracted attention, with viewers discussing the actor's choice of words and the larger conversation surrounding Bollywood's publicity strategies. One X user wrote, "Sidharth Malhotra just took a massive dig at Kartik Aaryan's "great PR budget." He completely mocked paid PR comparing it to just transferring your own funds to another account to fake success."

Another user wrote, "Karan Johar : what’s the one thing that Kartik Aaryan has that you don’t? Sidharth Malhotra : a great PR budget. sksksk lol."

"Sidharth Malhotra, that's really a low blow. "Kartik Aaryan is the one who's investing heavily in paid PRs. It's like he's spending his own money on it rather than on something useful. Kiara Advani and Karan Johar reacted as if they'd never done paid promotions for themselves", wrote the third user.

Another social media user wrote, "Oh my god! Karan Johar and Sidharth Malhotra both COOKED Kartik Aaryan over PR budget."

Sidharth Malhotra shares his thoughts on paid PR

The Kartik Aaryan remark was not the only moment from the conversation that touched upon celebrity publicity. Sidharth Malhotra also shared his views on paid PR and questioned the need for certain promotional practices.

Speaking about the subject, he suggested that paid publicity could sometimes be unnecessary. He compared the practice to moving money between two accounts belonging to the same person, explaining that such a transaction does not actually make someone wealthier. He further illustrated his point with an example of someone transferring Rs 1 crore to themselves and then claiming to have become richer. Sidharth described the exercise as pointless.