Siddharth’s journey as an actor has been atypical but interesting. Nobody would have expected to see him in a dark comedy like Karthik Subbaraj’s Jigarthanda (2014), or Vasanthabalan’s epic drama Kaaviya Thalaivan (2014) as a yesteryear theatre guy.
Also, he went de-glam in Enakkul Oruvan (2015), the crowd-funded Kannada remake of the hit fi lm Lucia (2013). His choices, of late, has been unconventional. From playing a chocolate boy in Ayutha Ezhuthu (2004) he has come a long way. He has made his presence felt in Tamil, Telugu and Hindi fi lms. While Jil Jung Juk (2015) was his recent outing as an actor/producer, he has his hands full with four films.
Dressed in a brown checked shirt, Siddharth looked high on adrenaline when City Express caught up with him during the inauguration of the Wink Salon in Alwarpet, where actor-singer Andrea Jeremiah was also present. Excerpts follow.
You seem to be interested in working with newcomers...
Yes, that’s because they dream big and work with neither expectations nor fear.
What’s happening on work front?
I have signed up for four fi lms. It feels good because I am going to be super-busy from now on. And I am looking forward to make my debut in Malayalam cinema with Dileep. I am a big fan of Malayalam movies because of their content.
Please elaborate on the projects...
I have Saithaan Ka Bachha, directed by Karthik Krish. I loved his previous venture Kappal (2014). This one will be of a genre, which I haven’t done before. Second, there’s this Tamil-Telugu-Hindi trilingual, which I’ll be working on. Then, I’m a part of director Sasi’s fi lm (of Poo (2008) fame), which stars GV Prakash Kumar too. For the fi rst time in my career, I am doing four films at a stretch.I got to know my schedule beforehand, which had never been the case before.
Is it because of the lukewarm response that Jil Jung Juk received, that you took months to fi nalise on your other projects?
No, I really needed a break after working hard for some time. I disconnected myself from Twitter and everything. I was travelling; I felt I should unclutter my mind. And during that period, I decided what I’d be doing next. In a way, it’s good to take solid time to zero in on your fi lms. I am choosy about the scripts I pursue, and will continue doing so. I go ahead with films which challenges the actor in me.
Are you satisfied with the ‘lover boy’ tag?
I think it has changed a lot now. I’d be happy if people associate me with a ‘good performer’ tag. Are you enjoying your role as a producer? Absolutely. I have never limited myself as an actor and I keep pushing myself off the comfort zone. I am optimistic in nature and I indulge in whatever creative urge I get. As a producer, I want to redefine the boundaries of commercial cinema by encouraging those who experiment and promote the new talent and fresh ideas.
What does success mean to you?
Success is highly subjective. I never ventured into acting for success. I am here to explore more and do good, quality films. Any regret(s)? Not at all and I must say the journey has been fantastic so far! I am serious about the fi lms I believe in or I do. I don’t let my audiences down. At the same time, not all the films work in the way we would like to. If a fi lm works, fi ne. To me, it’s not about numbers. I am not in any race or to prove anything to anybody.