Bollywood star Kartik Aaryan is making headlines once again—this time for his unexpected meeting with Hollywood icon Johnny Depp. The two stars met at the Red Sea International Film Festival 2025 held in Jeddah, and their selfie has now taken the internet by storm.

Kartik shared the photo on his Instagram, where Johnny Depp is seen placing his hand on Kartik’s shoulder as both smile for the camera. Captioning the post, Kartik wrote: “Pirates of the Red Sea – Jack Sparrow x Rooh Baba.” The reference instantly delighted fans, drawing a playful connection between Johnny’s iconic Captain Jack Sparrow from Pirates of the Caribbean and Kartik’s popular ‘Rooh Baba’ character from Bhool Bhulaiyaa.

The picture went viral within minutes, with fans calling it a “global crossover moment.”

Kartik’s stylish appearance at the festival

At the festival, Kartik was seen sporting dark blue trousers, a light printed shirt and a beige coat, earning praise for his stylish appearance. Bollywood stars Aishwarya Rai Bachchan and Kriti Sanon also attended this year’s Red Sea Film Festival.

Busy on the work front

On the professional front, Kartik will next be seen in the upcoming romantic drama Tu Meri Main Tera Main Tera Tu Meri opposite Ananya Panday, scheduled for release this December. He is also working on a musical film directed by Anurag Basu, whose first look was revealed in February 2025.

Earlier this year, Kartik scored a major box office success with Bhool Bhulaiyaa 3 and will also be seen next in the much-talked-about film Naagzilla.