Sid’s in for the moolah

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In a world full of diplomatic celebrities, Siddharth Malhotra is one who isn’t afraid of saying it like it is. He doesn’t mince words when he tells us that he needs money, and more money, if he has to keep himself in the running in Bollywood. Having already signed two films, Hasee Toh Phasee and The Villain, after his debut Student of the Year, Sid seems to be on the right track to fulfill his goal.

“In the world of glamour, I need to make sure that there is a big gaadi and an even better wardrobe. Mumbai is an expensive city to live in, and to lead a decent lifestyle, I need to make a certain amount of money. For someone like me, it is even more of a priority since I am not from here,” says Sid.
In his endeavour, he’s received great support from mentor Karan Johar, who is keeping a close tab on the kind of films that Sid does and the endorsements he signs.
“Karan is a very intelligent guy. If he has invested in me, he is also making sure that there are good enough returns. He is keeping his ears and eyes open for people who are currently casting for leads. So I am getting a lot of help here,” Siddharth says.
He is also clear about not wanting to play the brooding lover forever. Hasee Toh Phasee is the quintessential Bollywood romcom and The Villain will throw him into the action arena. Flashing a smile, Sid says, “I was told by people after Student of the Year, that I should be doing an intense love story. Then there are others who wanted me to do hardcore comedy. I am fiddling with both. Let’s see how exciting things turn out to be now. It is too early to close in on one particular genre and say that I have found a niche. It would be unfair for me to be tagged as good or bad in anything particular so early on in my career.”
Hmm, is he referring to the criticisms that came his way for his dancing skills in his debut? “See, I am a slightly stiff dancer and have not been trained in Bollywood dance. In fact, in the promos, people were seeing me dance and I had no choice but to keep quiet since dancing is not my strong point at all,” says Siddharth, adding, “My main thing was dialogue delivery and body language. But I am working on it now. I won’t have to be as quiet any more.”