I am pretty much done with younger heroines: Sidharth Malhotra

I want to work with Deepika & Anushka

Sidharth Malhotra says he is pretty much done with the younger heroines and wants to explore fresh pairings

Chaya Unnikrishnan

Sidharth Malhotra has just wrapped up the shoot of Baar Baar Dekho and will soon start prepping for his next " an action film. Buoyed by the success of his last release Kapoor & Sons, especially coming on the back of the disappointing Brothers, the actor is now more confident and has learnt to take failure in his stride. Here, Sidharth talks about his learnings from the industry, his desire to break norms and wish to work with different actresses.

Are you more confident now with each film?

Yes, definitely. But sometimes you do question your confidence when you are asked about someone being liked more or less in the film. Then you feel that it's all about competition. But a good film as a whole gives confidence and Kapoor & Sons has given me a boost.

Does your confidence waver when the film doesn't do well or is your attitude I did my best and the rest is not in my hands'?

When a film doesn't do well, it obviously disheartens an actor. More so, for somebody like me, who is an outsider making it here with no backing or option to go elsewhere. I am extremely sensitive and feel low about it. It takes me a while to come out of it. But with experience, I have realised that if you are criticised one Friday, you have the next Friday to prove yourself. It is all very subjective and temporary. Our industry is such that one successful Friday can make up for all the unsuccessful ones. You become level-headed because you know success won't last that long nor will the downfall.

Since you tasted your first failure with Brothers, it must have been difficult.

Yes, I wasn't experienced enough to understand kya hota hai when you don't get love and acceptance for a film. I was extremely attached to Brothers because for the first time I went through a physical transformation for a film. I worked hard, did a lot more prep for it. For the first time, I prepped for three-four months and shooting also took the same amount of time.

I was in agreement with Karan Malhotra (director) and Karan Johar (producer) about the kind of film we made. That said, I was obviously disheartened when the film didn't get acceptance. The fear was there ke ab kya? But after another Friday and Kapoor & Sons doing well, people accepting me in a different genre, it brings to you the fact that people connect to a good film made with honesty. With experience I have become more level-headed and less stressed.

Do you feel a sense of relief after a hit film or is it all the same?

The first reaction is relief, then excitement as it reinstates that I am doing my job well. Then I become hyper again, thinking I have to keep this up now. I tend not to say it as I am not exuberant. It becomes internal for me.

Do you take time off in between films?

I try to take time off, but it's been difficult since the last three films because once I stopped shooting for one movie, I started prepping for the next. So, now I make it a point to take a break during the New Year. I work like a dog and party hard at the end of the year.

Have you figured out what kind of roles people want to see you in?

No. I am just confused because if I see my trajectory, my most commercially successful film was Ek Villain. And now, the most loved performance is Kapoor & Sons. Both are diametrically opposite characters with different kinds of lives and acting. People have accepted both, so, I don't need to choose. I will go by the content of the film as a whole. That's the new trend. It's the old school way of thinking where actors did only one genre. We are all here to break norms and stand out. And I have come from Delhi to do that.

What do you enjoy doing?

I loved beating up people, and getting aggressive like I did in Ek Villain and Brothers. It's every young hero's dream to beat up the bad guys. On the other hand, I had the most fun in Kapoor & Sons. It was a light film, there was no need to work out, I was reading my lines and reacting to co-actors. In future, I want to do both kind of films side by side. Also, I have just finished romancing Katrina Kaif in Baar Baar Dekho so that's different again.

You and Deepika Padukone were hinting at doing a movie together. Is it happening?

That was just an interesting chat on Twitter. I gave an interview (about wanting to work with her), she reacted and I replied. We are waiting for somebody to cast us and come up with an interesting story. Deepika and I modelled together years ago and we have done ramp shows. It will be great to work with her. She has done amazing work of late. I loved her in Piku and Bajirao Mastani.

Any other heroine you would like to pair up with?

I am pretty much done with younger heroines. Now, I would like to work with Deepika, of course, and Anushka Sharma with whom I have done an ad. A lot new pairings are there to be explored and I am looking for good content and love stories to make them happen.

chaya.unnikrishnan@dnaindia.net