Siddharth - Interview

Siddharth is 32, and he has spent 12 long years in the film industry doning various caps - assistant director, actor, writer, and singer. Now he turns producer with ‘Love Failure’, releasing this weekend. The film got clean U Certificate. He is releasing the film on his own in Andhra Pradesh. Confident about its success, the actor talks about the movie in particular and his career in general.


Suddenly you have become too busy with multiple films on hand!
2012 is going to be an eventful year in my career. Despite not delivering a big hit in the recent years, I have multiple films in three languages. Call it luck, or filmmakers’ faith in my talent, or the love of audiences, I have never been this busy before. A year ago, I thought of slowing down. But my friends suggested me not to be idle and do more films. The plus point in doing more films is that now I have mastered multi-tasking. The downside is that I am not getting time to take holidays. Working round the year.  Yet, I am enjoying this phase.

Why producer?

As much as I love doing Telugu films, I also regret the fact that we are not experimenting much. In order to do something different, I thought of producing films. So I registered my banner - Etaki Entertainment. During that stage, I happened to see this short film called How To Mess Up With Loveon Youtube and fell in love with. I was searching for the short film's director and one day when I went to a party in Chennai, I met Sasikanth of Y Not Studios, he told me that he was working with a young director Balaji Mohan who made a short film How To Mess Up With Love. I said I was actually looking for him. And lo, this project fell in place.


What really attracted you to this short film and subsequently to the feature film version of this story? 

The protagonist in the film talks to camera directly and does a kind of direct conversation with the audiences. That is entirely novel for Indian cinema. The setup of scenes and characters are simple and life-like. A slice of drama told in manner that we see in international romantic comedies. 

The beauty of the script and film is that it is not heavier than it's worth. That is what I liked most.

How tough it was to act in this film where you have to look at camera and say the dialogues where as traditional rule is that actors should not be conscious of where the camera is located?

True, we actors have been taught of not looking at camera when saying dialogues. Though Mass heroes who have larger than life image always mouth dialogues looking straight into the camera, all the actors try to be not the conscious of where the camera is positioned. So working in this film is completely new experience altogether. The director wanted to narrate this way, as it adds empathy to the character.

The budget was tight, we heard...

As I said, we remained faithful to the script. Not went for flashy narrative modes. The story narration itself would be novel experience for us. I always take Aamir Khan as my inspiration. Like him, I went with the script and took newcomers for the most of the characters because the film needs fresh faces, not star actors. The only reason I was in the movie is that it needs a known face that attracts the audiences to draw in. Other than that, I am just the character. We shot the entire movie in both Tamil and Telugu in just two months.

But again, the film is not made in cheap. We spent whatever it needs to be done.

In one sentence, how do you describe the movie?

Love Failure is a small film with a big heart.  The other day, someone even commented that it is biggest ever film with small budget, which in fact is a best compliment that I could ask for.

You play a college student in the film?

Yes. After Boys, I got to play the role of a college student with scenes in college campus with this film.

Tell us about the director Balaji Mohan?

This is my 12th year in film industry. And Love Failure is my 10th film with a new director. I am lucky to work with the new breed of directors. It gives great satisfaction that so many young new directors are thinking of me to cast in their maiden film. Balaji Mohan is just 24 years old and studied at LV Prasad Academy in Chennai. He is so lucid about everything. When I asked director Raju Hirani (of ' 3 Idiots' fame) how does he create such perfect scenes, he said: "I see the film in my head even before I film it." Balaji has such clarity. And best part is that he wants to make films that entertain the audiences.

Taman has given melody tunes, completely different from his style. How do you guys bring such tunes from him?

Taman used to play these kind of songs and compositions when I was assistant to Manirathnam and he was with Manisharma. And even during the shoot of Boys (Taman played one role along with Siddharth in Boys), he used to play melodies. But today, he is known for more beat-oriented songs. Anyhow, I am really happy with his success. His journey is awesome. And also happy that he has given music that is true to the script. When we approached with this film, he said he would not let it go, despite his busy schedule. He was so charged up and took it as a challenge.

I also should mention Sri Mani, the lyricist. He wrote so beautifully and trendy. His expressions like Happy Heart Attack are fresh. He is talent to watch out for.

People say that you have bank of your own tunes and great collection of music CDs.

Who told you this? Well, even in my college days, I used to write songs and play them. Music makes me relax. If you ask me, would I become music director in future? Well, I don't know.

Tell us about Amala Paul?
We wanted a simple girl who can converse with her eyes. Remember in all my films, the heroine characters are strong, roles that are etched out well. I saw her Tamil film, Mynaa that was recently released in Telugu as Prema Khaidi, and loved her acting. So I suggested her name and she did well in this film too.

On hindsight, what do you regret?
I regret that I was not born in era when the great directors like Jandhyala and K Vishwanath were making splendid movies. I feel fortunate to be part of this great Telugu film industry, yet I feel sad that we are not making great cinema, we are shying away of making experimental movies.

No doubt, Telugu film industry is the best in India in making blockbuster commercial entertainers. That is why every one from assistant director to big producer in Bollywood now are watching all Telugu films and are reading all the websites to know the latest updates. They want to grab the rights of our movies. That way we should feel proud but the fact is that we are NOT making good cinema.

Will you turn to direction?
I can't deny it, but not now. If I take a gap of more than a year from acting, then you can speculate that I am turning director. As of now I am tied up with six films.

Your next films?

1. Nandini Reddy's Love Story (recently launched)
2. Sukumarudu (Yet to begin)
3. A bilingual in Telugu and Tamil (being produced by Vetrimaaran)
4. Remake of Chasmee Baddur
5. Deepa Mehta's Midnight's Children
6. First Classman (a film on the life of Srinivasa Ramanujan)