Is Naagzilla poster made using the actor's Instagram photo?

Filmmaker Karan Johar’s Dharma Productions recently announced a new film with Kartik Aaryan, titled

Naagzilla

. The announcement came with a motion poster featuring Kartik. But sharp-eyed Reddit users quickly pointed out that the poster seems to use an old photo from Kartik’s Instagram, leading to some online criticism.
Reddit Detectives Spot Familiar Image
On Wednesday, a Reddit user highlighted an old Instagram post by Kartik that shows him from behind, taking in a scenic view—almost identical to the image used in the Naagzilla poster. This sparked backlash online, with users criticizing the filmmakers for reusing content and showing "zero effort" in promotion.
Backlash Over Lack of Originality

The post's caption read, “So Dharma basically reused Kartik’s old Instagram post to make the official poster of their next movie. KJo and his team really have stopped putting in efforts.”

While one user wrote, 'When will this AI epidemic leave the design industry? Literally all movie posters have started looking the same and overly artificial because of this AI overuse', another one added, 'This is absolutely wild. They were so rushed to announce their lousy project, they couldn’t even schedule a dedicated shoot. The poster and visuals look unbelievably bad for a 2025 title. It’s downright nonsense, and the name is a joke.'
A user also commented, 'Unironically one of the funniest things I have seen'.

Some Fans Defend the Move
Some fans came to the filmmakers' defense, pointing out that Kartik Aaryan is currently sporting a heavy beard for Anurag Basu’s upcoming musical drama. Because of this, they believe it’s “impossible” to shoot fresh visuals for Naagzilla right now, which might explain the reuse of an old photo.

Dharma’s Quirky Poster Caption
Sharing the Naagzilla poster on Instagram, Dharma Productions wrote, “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!"

Besides Naagzilla, Kartik Aaryan is currently shooting for Anurag Basu’s romantic musical drama with Sreeleela. He’s also set to appear in the romantic comedy Tu Meri Main Tera, backed by Karan Johar, which is slated for release in 2026.