Actor Siddharth has never measured his career by the number of Hindi films he has done. Despite earning widespread acclaim for his performance in ‘Rang De Basanti’, the actor admits that the kind of Bollywood projects he hopes to be part of have been few and far between. Ahead of the release of his Netflix series ‘Operation Safed Sagar’, Siddharth shared why he is content waiting for the right scripts instead of chasing work.Asked why audiences have not seen him more frequently in Hindi cinema, Siddharth acknowledged that the opportunities simply haven’t matched his expectations.In an interview with Showsha, the actor shared, “I’m absolutely not offered enough Hindi films.”He explained that an actor’s choices are limited to the offers they receive. “I can only say yes or no to something that’s offered to me.”According to Siddharth, he has no interest in accepting projects merely to remain visible and would rather wait years for a role that genuinely excites him.
Siddharth’s two landmark projects across two decades
Looking back at his Hindi film journey, Siddharth described it as a career defined by meaningful milestones instead of volume. He believes it is no coincidence that two of his most significant Hindi projects came 20 years apart.“Twenty years ago, I got cast as Bhagat Singh in ‘Rang De Basanti’. Twenty years later, I get cast as Squadron Leader Ajay Ahuja in ‘Operation Safed Sagar’. I’ve done something somewhere that the universe keeps picking me to give me this stuff. Because I didn’t come and say, ‘Please cast me for this role.’ So something somewhere, someone somewhere really likes me. I can’t complain. I’m happy to say no or wait for 10 years for a project like this.“For the actor, these roles have brought greater satisfaction than a long list of films chosen for the sake of staying busy. While Hindi cinema may not have offered him enough opportunities, Siddharth pointed out that he has remained consistently employed across multiple film industries.“I’ve made films every year in some language. I also don’t like to work too much. I like to work a certain amount in the year. I like to be with my family and my wife as much as I can.” He also emphasised that language has never dictated his career choices. “If Hindi gives me work, I do it. In the absence of that, somebody else will give me work that I’d like to do-Tamil, Telugu, Malayalam, Kannada, Bengali, Punjabi, America or England. I can go wherever my work calls me.”Summing up his outlook, Siddharth said, “I’m happier to say that I have ‘Rang De Basanti’ and ‘Operation Safed Sagar’ across 20 years in Hindi than that I got 50 films and didn’t know which one to choose. I’m very happy with these two. It’s already more than enough for an actor’s career. If these were the only two projects in my career, I’ll be happy.”
Siddharth on speaking his mind without fear
Known for expressing his views on social and political issues, Siddharth was also asked whether being outspoken has affected his career. Instead of answering directly, he pointed towards the media. “In 2026, if there’s anybody in the world who I would like to ask, ‘Does being vocal come at a cost?’ It would be the Indian media. So I think you have the answer to your question.”He then made it clear that he has never waited for anyone’s approval before voicing his opinions. “I didn’t need anyone’s permission when I started speaking. I don’t need anyone’s permission to continue speaking.”
About ‘Operation Safed Sagar’
Directed by Oni Sen, ‘Operation Safed Sagar’ is inspired by the Indian Air Force’s role during the 1999 Kargil War. Siddharth portrays Squadron Leader Ajay Ahuja, while Jimmy Shergill, Dia Mirza, Abhay Verma, Prajakta Koli, Adil Hussain, Mihir Ahuja, Taaruk Raina, Arnav Bhasin and Amrita Bagchi play key roles.The Netflix limited series, based on the story of the Golden Arrows Squadron and their extraordinary courage during the Kargil conflict, is set to premiere globally on August 7.