Actor Siddharth, known for his candid opinions, recently spoke at the Hyderabad Literary Festival alongside singer-writer Vidya Rao, the mother of his wife, Aditi Rao Hydari. During the discussion, he reflected on his conscious decision to reject roles promoting toxic masculinity, despite the impact it had on his commercial success.
Choosing Ethics Over Stardom
Siddharth revealed that he turned down scripts featuring regressive tropes, such as slapping women, performing item songs, or dictating how female characters should behave.
📌 “I rejected them outright. Of course, I might be a far bigger movie star today if I was differently wired. But I did what I liked.”
He added that this choice earned him long-term respect. “Today, people tell me I was respectful to women, good to parents and kids. Their children can watch my films from 15 years ago. That’s a gratifying feeling.”
Breaking the Macho Hero Stereotype
Siddharth spoke about how, while many actors embraced aggressive, hyper-masculine roles, he chose a different path.
📌 “When others were doing the ‘mard ko dard nahi hota’ (men don’t feel pain) kind of thing, I was happy to cry on screen.”
Upcoming Projects
🎬 Last Seen In: Tamil film Miss You
🎬 Next Release: The Test, starring Nayanthara and Madhavan
🎬 Upcoming Role: Indian 3, directed by Shankar, who is also working on Game Changer with Ram Charan
Siddharth’s choices continue to define his journey, proving that principles and integrity matter just as much as stardom.
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