SIDHARTH MALHOTRA: BECOMING THE SHERSHAAH OF BOLLYWOOD

W W W. C A R A S I N D I A . C O M

The former model paves his way to stardom on his own terms with talent and determination

SIDHARTH MALHOTRA: BECOMING THE SHERSHAAH OF BOLLYWOOD

M

umbai - the city of dreams.

Thousands of aspiring artists flock to this city every day with one dream that motivates them to start over in an unknown city - the starry Bollywood life.

Needless to say, the movie industry is a cosmos wherein only a blessed few get to experience the glimmer and the jazz, let alone leave their mark as an actor.

Sidharth Malhotra’s journey into Bollywood follows the path of one such outsider, whose determination and hard work turned his

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“Be yourself, who else is better qualified?” life from being one amongst the multitude to becoming “The Shershah of Bollywood.”

As fans fondly call him, Sidharth/Sid was born to a former merchant navy captain and a homemaker in Delhi. After he graduated from Shaheed Bhagat Singh College, he ventured into modelling and made a successful career in it. Walking the runway in Milan, New York, and Paris is considered the pinnacle of success in a modelling career, a feat which Sid impressively achieved in a short span of 4 years.

Sidharth is proud and happy of establishing himself as one of Bollywood’s biggest stars. The actor moved to Mumbai and made a name for himself with hard work and determination

SIDHARTH MALHOTRA:

BECOMING THE SHERSHAAH OF BOLLYWOOD

Sidharth has stated in several interviews that modelling was not something that gave him creative satisfaction. And as destiny may have it, an acting audition got him bitten by the ‘filmy kheeda’.

The unwritten first step for any budding actor in India is to pack their bags and reach Mumbai.

For Sid, however, he had a movie offer in hand, an action film that was to be helmed by direc-

“There will be people who don’t like you. I’d rather let my work talk than justify in words” Ever since he was a kid he was very comfortable in front of a camera and with the support of his family he started his modeling career when he reached his teen years

“It is very essential as an actor to be a perfectionist”

tor Anubhav Sinha. But the film got shelved and Sidharth’s real endeavour began.

An aspiring actor in the city of Mumbai is like a drop in the ocean. Every other person you bump into is either a junior artist or someone who is relentlessly giving auditions in the hopes of turning fate in their favour.

For a 23-year-old Delhi boy flocking in this myriad, Sidharth’s struggles were no exception.

During his initial days in the city, Sid resorted to the conventional

The model turned actor often says that for him, the most difficult move was when he chose to quit modelling and applied for a position of an assistant director

“The thing I crave the most is appreciation for my acting”

way of attending auditions for ads, TV shows and films. He’s often mentioned feeling ‘terrible and small’ during the many auditions he attended and breaking down as a result. But quitting and going back to Delhi was not a possibility because in his own words, “there was no family business waiting for me.”

The first two years in Mumbai was a life of toil. Modelling assignments were seldom enough for survival and he lived in a rented apartment with two friends, often struggling to pay bills. As surpri-

“It’s important to do different roles to keep the fans entertained” sing as it may sound, it was, however, not the commercials nor ads that gave him an entry into the movie biz but his foray into Assistant Direction. Sid has worked in movies like Dostana and My Name is Khan before he finally cracked the audition for what would be his big-ticket to Bollywood - Student of the Year.

Karan Johar’s Student of the Year franchise is touted as a launch vehicle for star kids. And while Alia Bhatt and Varun Dhawan belong to this school, Sidharth

Siddharth says that years down the line, when people look at his filmography, he’d like them to see a legacy of new-age content films. The actor is proud to be working with starts like Karan Johar, Alia Bhatt and Varun Dhawan

made a promising debut along with them in this romantic drama.

He had a charismatic onscreen presence and didn’t seem to have the hunch that many newcomers would have. Moreover, he could dance and pack a punch as well, every element expected from a Bollywood hero.

Since then though, it has been quite a bumpy ride. His next few films including Hasee Toh Phasee,

“Things have a way of working out. If they don’t, maybe it’s not the right thing” Ek Villain and Brothers were passable. But what was unmissable was his boyish charm which won him a dedicated fanbase.

Cut to Shakun Batra’s Kapoor & Sons that finally gave us a glimpse of Sid’s calibre as a performer. The movie had a stellar cast, including legends like Rishi Kapoor, Ratna Pathak Shah, Rajat Kapoor and seasoned performers like Fawad Khan and Alia Bhatt.

Sidharth held his ground amongst them in the beautifully narrated

family drama and was appreciated for the nuances he brought in.

Despite its success, he went on to do forgettable roles in a series of flops that didn’t add much to his acting profile.

It often takes a good team to bring out the best in an actor. And with the massive success and applause that’s pouring in for his recent release, Shershaah, it looks like the 36-year-old has finally

Working out in the outdoors is one of the actor’s favorite activity, but can also be seen at the gym frequently.

He says the distance between your dream and reality is called action

“I feel at peace underwater, and happy by the sea”

“If there’s no meaning to what I’m doing, I won’t be a part of that activity” carved his niche as an indispensable actor. A film masterfully shouldered on Sidharth’s portrayal of Captain Vikram Batra, Shershaah is the real-life story of the war hero who laid down his life in the Kargil war. The movie is distinct from other war films in many ways, including its direction and cinematography. However, it’s undoubtedly Sidharth’s earnest performance that has made the film, an

astounding success amongst critics and the audience. It isn’t surprising either that Shershaah is currently the most-streamed Indian movie on the OTT platform Amazon Prime with an IMDb rating of 8.8.

Sidharth Malhotra has a chiselled body that most of us can only dream of. But clearly, a lot goes into carving that hot bod.

Sidharth changes his workout regime and diet in accordance with

Sidharth is an animal lover, and spend as much time as he can in their company. In Mumbai, he relaxes at his bachelor pad decorated by luxurious designer Gauri Khan

“In life, you have to lead by example, not by opinions”

“I have had my set of fears in most of my movies. But the fun lies in overcoming them” the role that he is prepping for. For his role in Brothers co-starring Khiladi Akshay Kumar, who is himself a fitness buff, Sid trained to suit his physique to that of a boxer.

However, his normal routine comprises cardio, weight training, playing football and swimming.

His dedication to fitness is such that Sid has often joked how he might never have a girlfriend because no one would want to be

The actor has been linked to talented women in the industry, such as Alia Bhatt and Tara Sutaria.

He is currently rumoured to be dating Shershaah co-star Kiara Advani, pictured with him below

with someone who sleeps early and hits the gym in the morning.

In 2018, Sidharth shifted to a sea-facing bachelor’s pad in the coveted Pali Hill. The home is designed by Gauri Khan, who is known for adding her Midas touch to luxurious homes. Sid’s condo primarily comprises masculine elements and is adorned with exquisite furniture pieces. The house is a melange of black, brown and cream shades and has a calm and minimalist identity to it.

Sidharth was reportedly dating Alia Bhatt after their debut in SOTY. Later, he was rumoured to

“It’s tough to do a romantic scene with someone you don’t like. I’ve been lucky” be dating his then neighbour and actress Tara Sutaria, who once famously revealed that she has a crush on a ‘student,’ probably hinting at Sidharth’s role in his debut. However, the buzz died down soon. He is currently rumoured to be dating his on-screen love in Shershaah, Kiara Advani, but like with every other Bollywood love story, this remains unconfirmed as well.

In love or not, with upcoming films like Thank God and Mission Majnu in his kitty, we wish Sid more significant work because his best is yet to come and Yeh Dil Maange More! l