Siddharth, the multi-hyphenate artist, who is into acting, film production, screenwriting and singing, stressed the importance of paying taxes, while he spoke about what constituted a 'responsible citizen' in his eyes. "Nobody can step into my home for this reason. I do everything by the rule book, and I'm free to express my opinions," he said, speaking at a panel discussion on 'Passion and Progress in Cinema' on Day 2 of the 13th ThinkEdu Conclave, presented by SASTRA University, in Chennai, on Thursday. The session, chaired by TNIE Executive Editor (Entertainment), Sudhir Srinivasan, delved deep into the actor's views on passion, career, progression, and even politics.
Siddharth shared that curiosity and enthusiasm are the twin ideas that have brought him as far in cinema. "When I was young, they told me I spoke too much for my age. Now, I am trying to hold on to that same inquisitive kid within me. I believe no one should let that curiosity fade away," he said.
Stressing on the importance of swimming against the tide to achieve one's passion, he shared that many people advised him against working in multiple languages in the initial stages of his career. "They said I could be a superstar only if I focussed on one regional industry. But I went on to work in seven different film industries, mastering the dialect of all languages." He added that he has no interest in being a part of the rat race. "I have always set my own goals and given my fullest to achieve them. I don't want to be the number one star; I don't have 100 crore films in my body of work. But I am content with the path I have chosen."
He declared that knowing what not to do in pursuit of one's passion is more important than knowing what to do. "I did my MBA but refused to do a desk job because I didn't want to do the same work every day. This decision led me to cinema, a field which keeps throwing new challenges at artists."
Siddharth also excessively emphasised the importance of mastering more than one skill and stated that he wishes to live in a society where anyone can do anything, anytime. "We should decide our own currency and choose what we value. Failing to do so will make onlookers determine our value and they would likely compare apples to oranges and decide for us what we should be doing."