‘Watching me shoot is still a novelty for my parents’

Initially, trolls and rumours would affect me… It is an unproductive energy that should be ignored. It is a matter of training my own head to be aware but not let it affect me. SIDHARTH MALHOTRA, ACTOR

Actor Sidharth Malhotra has just returned from his hometown, Delhi, where he was shooting for Aiyaary. While talking to HT Café, he shared how going back home is always a great feeling. “My work has me meeting my family less, so whatever little time I get I try to spend them. This time, I stayed at home for a night and then joined the crew. My parents joined me on the sets as seeing me shoot is still a novelty for them.”

So, have things at home changed since he is a star now? “Well, my parents were always lenient with us. We had deadlines purely during exams. Mom still calls to check if I have eaten. When in Delhi, we have a rule, my parents leave the lights on, and we have to switch it off when we return. This way they know we have come home. It is their way of keeping a tab. This rule exists even today,” laughs Sidharth.

Recently, the actor was trolled on social media for his tweet in the wake of riots after Dera Sacha Sauda chief Gurmeet Ram Rahim Singh was arrested. Talking about it, he says, “Initially, trolls and rumours would affect me. I did not grow up in the industry and I am not used to the rumour mill. I had to train myself to let it go. It is an unproductive energy that should be ignored. It is a matter of training my own head to be aware but not let it affect me.”

The Brothers (2015) actor admits that moving out of his home at the age of 21 helped him become resilient and mature. “It is a good thing that I ventured out, travelled and learned to live on my own. Travelling opens up your head, and makes you more accepting to people and cultures. Life began after I left home and hence I can appreciate all the luxuries I

can afford today.”