Meet ‘Wimpy Kid’ star

BOTHELL — Sixth grader Karan Brar enjoys the adventure of middle school, hanging out with friends, going to different classes and meeting new people.

“It’s not like elementary school where you’re locked up in one classroom,” said Karan, 12.

At Gateway Middle School south of Everett,

Karan also likes learning how to play the alto saxophone, studying math and joking around with friends about needing a body guard.

That last one is an ongoing game between him and friends.

Karan is an actor who played the role of a middle school student in “Diary of a Wimpy Kid” released last March. The movie grossed $75 million last year.

The Bothell resident returns to the big screen in his role as Chirag Gupta in the sequel, “Diary of a Wimpy Kid 2: Rodrick Rules,” which opens today. The movie is based on the second in a series of five books by Jeff Kinney about a kid named Greg Heffley, who deals with the ups and downs of middle school life. Chirag is one of Greg’s classmates.

Karan started acting in commercials at the age of 7 and earned his role in the first movie “Diary of a Wimpy Kid” two years later. He was one of 9,000 kids who auditioned for the part. Karan reunited with the rest of the movie’s young cast last summer in Vancouver, B.C., to film the sequel.

The new movie focuses on Greg’s rocky relationship with his older brother, Rodrick, and how they learn to reconnect as brothers.

“It’s a good family movie. I was amazed at how it turned out,” he said. “You won’t be bored. We have sometimes dramatic scenes, happy scenes, sad scenes and really funny scenes.”

Chirag appears throughout the movie, he added, often dropping in to try to bring Greg, played by Zachary Gordon, down with his quick wit.

Karan said his character is “mini rivals” with Greg, who has a crush on Holly Hills, one of the cutest girls in his grade.

“We’re fighting for Holly Hills. It’s not like a crush for my character but he wants to put (Greg) down,” Karan said. “As characters, they’re a little enemy and a little friend.”

Karan and other cast members were taught how to skate by a roller-derby girl for the movie. The scene was fun but also challenging, Karan said, because he needed to skate on mark while delivering a long line.

“I had to glide in and, a couple of times, I went a little too far,” he said. “Sometimes we would laugh so much we would fall over and, when the scene comes, we couldn’t even say our words because we were laughing so much.”

Karan and his parents, Harry and Jasbinder Brar, and older sister, Sabreena, travelled to Los Angeles earlier this month to attend the 32nd Annual Young Actors Awards. The “Diary of a Wimpy Kid” cast won the Best Ensemble Cast award. The announcement spurred a lot of hugging, Karan said.

Karan’s received a lot of attention since the first movie.

“I don’t consider myself famous, I really don’t,” Karan said. “I have much to learn in this industry. I’m new to this and I need to learn more.”

If a third “Diary of a Wimpy Kid” movie is made, Karan said he would be happy to play Chirag again. In the meantime, he wants to audition for different movies.

He’ll also keep up with his studies, Harry Brar said.

“He’s learned a lot in this business,” dad said. “I told him no matter how big an actor you want to become you have to carry your studies with you.”

That’s fine with Karan.

He has plans to earn a master’s degree in mathematics one day.

Amy Daybert: 425-339-3491; adaybert@heraldnet.com.

Watch “Diary of a Wimpy Kid 2: Rodrick Rules” with Karan

Karan Brar, who plays Chirag Gupta in the “Diary of a Wimpy Kid” movies plans to sign books moviegoers bring with them to the AMC Loews Theater at Alderwood mall in Lynnwood around 6 p.m. Friday and watch the 7:10 p.m. showing with friends and classmates.