New Delhi: It wasn't easy for actor Sidharth Malhotra to pack up and relocate to Mumbai. But the thought that his stay in the city could turn his dream of becoming an actor into reality induced Sidharth to grow accustomed to a new set of people, surroundings and routine. As the Delhi-born actor tells us, the transition to a strange city has been tough and he's also had difficulties adjusting to a new way of life. "It isn't easy to live in Mumbai. Since my family stays in Delhi, I do miss the support from my family. But now that my work is there, I'm getting used to everything in Mumbai. I wish I could stay in Delhi, but Bollywood is in Mumbai," he says.
While living in Mumbai has given him great opportunities to experience new things and grow both as an individual and as an actor, it has also helped him understand how laboriously he needs to work to make a mark in Bollywood sans any filmy connections. Does he still feel like an outsider or has he started feeling comfortable in Bollywood? "It is just slightly better, I'm not at home. But yes, I have realised that the more people I'll work with, the more friends I'll make. For 'Student Of The Year', I was shooting with two filmy kids, their family members are big stars/directors. So they would often talk about the Bollywood parties they attended together. I remember them saying, 'Areey tu toh uss party mei aya tha', 'Tune wahan khaya thaa', 'Tu toh meri godh mei kheli hai', etc. Toh mera bachpan koi jaanta nahi hai. So yes, you do feel a little odd because you don't have a history with them. It is getting better but it is still not home."
The fact that he doesn't have a godfather, survival in Bollywood gets hard. Even though he tries his best to handle the pressure of continuing to exist in the showbiz industry sans any connections, insecurities, anxiety and disappointments do seep into life. "It isn't easy to enter Bollywood. It is both competitive and a risky business. But one has to accept it, and continue to do work sincerely. And try not to cheat the audience. I feel lucky that I have won my viewers' acceptance, but to sustain it, I have to re-invent myself. So I have to put in a lot of effort both physically and emotionally to ensure I don't repeat myself. The only way I can make myself secure is by doing different things convincingly. I can't make my audience feel bored, which is also the reason why I did 'Hasee Toh Phasee'. The film has allowed me to do something different," he says.
"To survive as an actor I can't look for an easy way out and say, 'Ki picture chall jaegi'. Viewers have become more intelligent and smart. They appreciate better cinema which is good for us in a way," he adds.
And with box office collections determining actors' success more than the films', anxiety levels are expected to shoot up. "Now that BO figures are easily available on our cell phones, nobody can hide them. Everybody gets to know the number of people who came to the cinema halls to watch the film. So it also brings a great sense of uncertainty also," he explains.
Sidharth, who understands that celebrities' real-life behavioral patterns are as crucial as their films, has become more conscious of how he is portrayed in the media. "Since people notice me, there is the pressure to behave properly all the time. As actors we can't relax."
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