Actor Siddu Moolimani, who had a stint in television before making the shift to the big screen by playing pivotal roles, recently turned hero with Love U Muddu. Now, he is set to explore a new space by headlining a horror thriller. “The audition I gave for serials and cinema was in the same place. I started my journey in both simultaneously, and today, being the face of a film as a lead makes me happy,” begins Siddu. “My goal has always been cinema. When I give my autograph, I sign ‘Sinema’, which is also a short form of my name, Siddalingesh Neelappa Moolimani. I began as a dancer, and cinema was always my aim.”
Known for his witty charm and lover-boy image, Siddu says Dharani Mandala Madyadolage helped him break away from typecasting. “That film took me out of monotony and made me realise I should experiment with different kinds of roles,” he says. His next release, Seat Edge, is set to hit screens on January 30, and it marks his full-fledged entry into the horror genre. “Here, I play a blogger, which today’s audience can easily relate to, because everyone is used to cameras and content creation.”
Talking about the blogging angle, Siddu says attention always follows content. “When you look at a subject deeply, that itself becomes the camera. Just showing random things will not attract people. Whether it is mobile content or theatre content, everything depends on what you are showing,” he explains.
Produced by Giridhara Vasanthpura and directed by Chethan Shetty, the film also benefits from Siddu’s earlier exposure to the genre. He had assisted Anup Bhandari on Rangitaranga and acted in films like Vikrant Rona, besides playing the lead in the horror film, Ooh. “So when Chethan brought me Seat Edge, I already had some idea about horror, but what attracted me was the ghost-hunter angle and the loop in the story. There is also an interesting bit inspired by Gaurav Tiwari, which adds depth,” he says.
Most of the shoot happened at night, which is something Siddu enjoyed. Interestingly, he does not find the horror genre frightening. “I always look at it scientifically. Many experiences come from hallucinations and negativity. People connect that to horror, but I see it differently,” he says.
Will the film live up to its title? “When we watch a film, we should forget everything and connect with the characters and story. True seat-edge experiences are rare. Shhh, directed by Upendra, created anxiety in every scene, but many horror films today feel predictable. People now watch all kinds of films on OTT, so nothing is completely new, but seeing such stories in our language may feel unique. With blogging and ghost-hunting coming together, it should be a different experience,” he signs off.