Sidharth Malhotra will finally be seen on the big screen after almost a year with A Gentleman. The actor, who was last seen in Baar Baar Dekko, reveals that he has been lucky enough to never sign up films for money. Sidharth, who has come a long way, spills the beans about his professional life and the way he deals with criticism.
How does it feel to be directed by two directors — Raj and DK — for A Gentleman?
Raj and DK are very much in sync — they’ve been friends for a long time now. I was worried about how it happens on sets when you have two directors. I realised that when on the first day of shoot you get two “okays.” It is reassuring for an actor. But then there are times when we used to discuss a scene and I would give three takes. They are slightly unpredictable, yet very accommodating.
Your film is titled A Gentleman. Who, according to you, is a true gentleman in the industry and why?
I think Saif Ali Khan is a true gentleman. He has a very sophisticated taste — his royalty runs in his blood. We only meet socially we have spoken about movies, travel and he is an interesting guy.
Do you crumble under pressure when your film doesn’t work?
Yes, I think it does affect me. When things don’t work your way, you do feel the pressure. But I wont do a film because I am desperate. I think it is very important to make the right move. The business is very content-driven these days, than being driven by stars. You need to have the intelligence to understand these scripts. Luckily, I have never been in a phase where I don’t have my next film coming out. I have never done a film for just money.
How do you deal with criticism?
Whenever I have read remarks about me, I have found that there is nothing constructive. I prefer constructive criticism given by people who I trust. Also, I have a very close group of friends who are pretty honest. They would tell me this wasn’t great, that wasn’t nice. Karan (Johar) is very honest; my parents are very honest they do sugar coat it at times. I am surrounded by people who ground me a lot.
You are playing a double role in A Gentleman so tell us something more about that?
My film is not about a double role only it’s a story of mistaken identity. When you see the film its not a typical double role, so the similarity will go out of the window. It’s exciting to play different characters on screen.
