READY FOR A NEW HORIZON

After spending five years in Bollywood, actor Sidharth Malhotra is taking an interest in other aspects of filmmaking

It has been five years since Sidharth Malhotra started his career with Student of The Year (2012), and like every other actor, he has seen his share of ups and downs in Bollywood. Right now, it’s up — his latest film, Ittefaq, has been received well. “I look at my career as a journey,” says the 32-year-old Delhi boy, as he basks in success and prepares for the release of Aiyaary.

You’re now five years into your Bollywood career. Does anything make you feel awkward?

I won’t say ‘anybody’ or ‘anything’ makes me awkward, because it’s a matter of knowing and understanding people, especially when you work with senior actors and technicians. You have to understand that it’s a business where you make relationships. And your relationships with these people is at its most intense when you’re working with them. When you don’t work with someone for a long time, [the strong connect that you have] goes away. I get that working with certain actors is a high point for me, and I should cherish and enjoy that and be more involved.

What are the biggest learnings for you from the film industry?

I now understand that everyone has [their own] work to do. And it did take me a while to get that. Now, not understanding [things] or being awkward about them is not an issue at all, because I know that we all lead very busy lives. However, we’re still emotionally connected with the people we have worked with.

You have a strong equation with many of your costars...

Yes, that’s true, and I feel it happens only because of the intensity of the moments that one spends with them. After all, you’re working alongside them 24/7. It’s all about understanding that, and it comes with experience and teaming up with different people.

As for your craft, have you changed the way you work?

I want to excel and try new things when it comes to playing characters. I also feel that since I’m not a trained actor, I learn a lot of things on the job. Now, I love getting into the screenplay and dialogues. I now believe in doing more background research [for my characters]. So that is the top priority, and as we have seen this year, content is king.

You have to understand that [cinema] is a business where you make relationships. And these people are at their most intense when you’re working with them. SIDHARTH MALHOTRA ACTOR

In today’s dayandage, when people are seeing your content all over the world, how important is it to focus majorly on the performance?

Firstly, I think the lines [between the kind of films an actor can do] have blurred. Nowadays, he or she can do any kind of a role as long as he looks convincing enough onscreen, and that was my intention to make my character real in Ittefaq. Also, my performance was not over the top or unbelievable. According to my director (Abhay Chopra) and me, my character’s reaction should be in the ‘real’ zone. So, that’s why we tried to keep things very real and convincing. In fact, that will be my endeavour in the future too.

You are very close to several industry people such as Karan Johar. When you were going through a low phase, did you seek any advice or suggestion from Karan or others?

No, I didn’t. I look at it [his Bollywood career] as a journey. But obviously, you always have your close set of friends, who encourage you. Whenever I spoke to senior actors or directors, everyone would tell me, ‘There are [always] things to look forward to’. Also, I always feel, ‘who hasn’t seen this [a low phase]?’ Highs and lows are beyond anybody’s control in this profession.

It’s your fifth year in the film industry. What’s your take on the profession?

After all, it is the most unpredictable profession. We have no clue what works and no one has a fixed formula per se. So, I think the only advice that I got was to look forward. I was advised, ‘As difficult as it could be, you have to detach yourself from this aspect (setbacks), pick yourself up and move on’. And I took that advice seriously. And so, now, I have started working way harder on my future projects.

Highs and lows are beyond anybody’s control. SIDHARTH MALHOTRA, ACTOR