Siddharth Nigam, the 24-year-old actor from Prayagraj, unexpectedly found his way to Bollywood as a child actor. When he got a call from Mumbai to play the young version of superstar Aamir Khan in Dhoom 3, neither Siddharth nor his family could believe it to be true. Over the years, Siddharth became a familiar face on television and kids’ shows. In a recent conversation with Hindustan Times, Siddharth shares how, coming from a modest background with no connections in the industry, the opportunity felt surreal.
Siddharth Nigam on his unlikely debut in Bollywood
Not many actors can say their first film was a Yash Raj Films (YRF) production, but Siddharth was one of the lucky few who debuted in cinema with a project as massive as Dhoom 3. Recalling the surprise at getting casting director, Shanoo Sharma’s call from YRF to come to Mumbai, and how he and his family thought it to be a fake call, Siddharth told Hindustan Times:
“When Yash Raj (Films) called me, Shanoo ma’am (casting director Shanoo Sharma) called me, we were scared. We had nobody in Mumbai where they were calling us. Where will we go? I literally wondered if it was a fake call. I am a Crime Patrol and Savdhaan India audience. I thought Mumbai bula ke bech diya to dikkat ho jayegi. I genuinely had no idea what Yash Raj Films is and who Shanoo ma’am is.”
It was only after Siddharth’s brother did a detailed research and googled about Shanoo Sharma and YRF, that the family realised the magnitude of the opportunity, and he eventually made his big screen debut as young Aamir in the blockbuster.
Siddharth Nigam on stepping into adult roles
Over the years, Siddharth transitioned from child artist to teen heartthrob with shows like Chakravartin Ashoka Samrat and Aladdin – Naam Toh Suna Hoga. But making the shift from youth-centric roles to more mature characters is never easy. After sharing the screen with Salman Khan in Kisi Ka Bhai Kisi Ki Jaan, Siddharth is now shifting to pursue more adult roles. His latest work, Hai Junoon, is a JioHotstar musical drama where Siddharth plays ‘Vikram’, a passionate, aspiring singer who wants to make it into his college’s elite choir. Talking about how he relates to ‘Vikram’, Siddharth shared:
“I relate a lot with Vikram’s character. I feel the young audience will see themselves in him because, at the end of the day, we are all chasing dreams. People like us, who are outsiders coming from a small town to this big world, we need to first find ourselves and our own voice. That takes a long time.”
Hai Junoon’s ‘Vikram’ reminds Siddharth of his roots
Siddharth found his character relatable to his own situation before entering the industry. Just like ‘Vikram’, he was a small-town boy dreaming of making it big but had no idea about the industry until he became a part of it. Playing ‘Vikram’ took him back to his Prayagraj days, where his mother ran a small beauty parlour and he practised gymnastics, never once imagining a future in front of the camera. In his words:
“When I was in Prayagraj, I had no idea about this industry. My mother ran a small parlour and I was a gymnast. I never say I struggled a lot because God gifted me these opportunities very early.”
What do you think about Siddharth Nigam’s revelations?
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