Siddhartha wants to do 'Pathala Bhairavi'

That he’s from Chennai is a little-known fact here, but that he’s the chocolate hero of Tollywood is well-known. Within a span of just four years, Siddharth established himself in Tollywood, but failed to make a mark in his hometown, though he has acted in a couple of Tamil movies. Ask him why, being from Chennai, he prefers to act in Telugu films, and he explodes, “I’ve already done five Telugu films, I’ve shifted to Hyderabad, I’m eating your favourite gongura just like you do and the audience has always felt that I am Telugu. I have done only one Hindi film so far and I have always preferred Telugu films.”

After superhit Bommarillu, it took Siddharth a year and a half for his next release, Konchem Ishtam Konchem Kashtam. The actor, who went to watch the film incognito, says the audience’s response to his role in the film was amazing. He goes on to explain, “I don’t have any bodyguards and I often go to a multiplex whenever I feel like watching a film. Even if I have to take my mother shopping, I do it without any hungama.” Talk of filmi ‘moms’, and he chuckles, “I’m fortunate to be blessed with glam moms in my films.” He also tells us how much his mother liked the sarees Ramya Krishna wore in the film.

When asked about his aversion to acting in multi-language films, he replied, “Audience tastes differ from region to region. Moreover, I have to enact the role more than once and I don’t like to repeat myself. Even my earlier films, Nuvvostanante Nenoddananta and Bommarillu, were remade in other languages, but they are not as successful as the original Telugu version.” He adds, “I don't like remakes. People have approached me to do a remake of Jab We Met, but I decided to opt out. If I ever do a remake, I’d choose one that’s a few decades old, which the present-day audience is not familiar with.” When asked which old film he’d prefer to act in, if it was remade, pat came the answer – “Pathalabhairavi.”

Emphasising his preference for trying out new roles, he says, “I told my father that I don’t want to do a 9 to 5 job and that I want to join films. Here too, I don’t want to do the same routine films. Innovative subjects appeal to me,” he said. Siddharth, who was worked with three new directors in the Telugu films he’s done, says, “It’s not that I don’t like to work with seniors, but I always like to encourage new directors who come up with innovative ideas.”

His next project, Oye, which is releasing in May, also has debutant director Anand helming the project. After that he plans to work with another new director too. Before he signs off, he comes up with some advice for the directors he has worked with – “Work on your films as you would for your first project, only then will you get good results.