Actor Siddhant Chaturvedi recently participated in a session at the IFP season 15, titled ‘Rooted in Reality.’ This candid discussion allowed him to delve into the ‘spiritual truth’ within filmmaking, his unique acting process, and the significance of heartland stories. He also shared insights about his favorite Indian films and actors.
Exploring Roles
When asked about the types of roles he is eager to explore, Siddhant expressed, “If I had to pick, I would always pick the grey character zone. I feel like I like unpredictability, where you do not know what’s going to happen.”
Addressing Competition
On the topic of competition from content creators, Siddhant didn’t hold back. He acknowledged the changing landscape, saying, “If you are saying that we have competition, yes, we do. But back in the day, we had so many leading stars – Bachchan Saab, Dharamji, Rajendra Kumar, Rajesh Khanna, Dilip Kumar, Shammi ji, Rishi ji, and Sanjeev Kumar. Even then, there was competition to hold attention. Because there was no other medium. But I feel a good film will always sustain, and good content will always stay with you.”
Access for Writers
Siddhant shifted the conversation to a critical issue—the lack of access for writers outside the Mumbai bubble. He articulated the need for diverse narratives, stating, “The writers are not getting access – as much access as we want. We need stories from tier 2 and tier 3. And not only messy stories, but we need a lot of stories like Laapataa Ladies. Those writers are not getting access because the whole industry is concentrated in Bombay. And in Bombay also, it’s Juhu, Bandra, or max Andheri. So if a writer from Bhopal, Gwalior, Ballia, or Banaras comes here, I don’t think he’ll get access. Because maybe he doesn’t know English.”
Disconnection from Hindi Cinema
Reflecting on the current disconnection audiences feel from mainstream Hindi cinema, Siddhant provided a straightforward explanation. He pointed out, “Today, Hindi actors and actresses, whenever there are interviews in Hindi – if you watch any interview – it starts in Hindi. And after saying two lines in Hindi, they don’t even realise when they subconsciously switch to English. So the audience gets disconnected. Our young audiences, Gen Z, already have access to Netflix, Korean cinema, and Hollywood. But I think they will also appreciate something like Laapataa Ladies, which shows them the culture.”
Praise for Gen Z
Siddhant complimented Gen Z, saying, “I think Gen Z is the smartest. They can point out the truth. They know if a story is coming from the right passion or truth, or not. I feel our cinema needs to get back to its glory. We need to just have more access to the heartland of India.”
Upcoming Projects
On the professional front, Siddhant is eagerly looking forward to his upcoming movie, Do Deewane Seher Mein, which stars Mrunal Thakur. Directed by Sanjay Leela Bhansali, the film is set for release on February 20, 2026, during Valentine’s week. Recently, Siddhant shared on social media that he faced personal struggles while shooting for “Do Deewane Seher Mein.” He noted that the film’s journey was not only creatively challenging but also personally healing.
He remarked, “Do Deewane Seher mein— A film so close to my heart. I’ll be honest… I was going through something of my own while shooting for this one. And the journey somewhere healed me…. I hope it does the same to you… They say there’s no such thing as perfect; all you need is someone imperfect worth fighting for… See us at our most vulnerable selves, all heart, the perfect misfits, a cute mess coming to theaters this Valentine’s.”