Siddharth Roy, the upcoming romantic entertainer directed by Y Yeshaswi, stars Deepak Saroj in the lead. The film's trailer promises the story of a young man and his battle with logic and emotions, which leads to conflicts in his life and relationships. Deepak talks about the amount of internal preparation his character in Siddharth Roy required, noting, “It demanded two and a half years of having a vulnerable mind to be open towards receiving anything.” He also recalls watching the interviews of philosophers like Osho and Sadguru and entrepreneurs to understand the core of their decision-making; he believes that extensive reading eventually led him to discover a logical thinker within himself. Deepak continues, “Once I reached that point, it came to an end, I stopped seeking other philosophies. It took me around 15 days to find that originality within me and another month or so to consolidate myself in that state of mind.”
Deepak Saroj had previously worked as a child artist in films like Athadu (2005) and Legend (2014), going on to win a Nandi award for his performance in the 2014 film Minugurulu. However, Deepak adds that his experience as a child artist gives him the tag of a former child artist and little else. He explains, “Being a child actor does not add any value to what you’re going to do next. No production house will be ready to invest in you. I didn't have access to good stories or great production houses. I have to keep trying till I succeed and until people notice me.”
Deepak candidly admits that he was never passionate about working in films early in his life, “When I began working as a child artist, my main incentives were that they give good food and let you bunk school. I didn’t even want to be a hero back then.” After his stint as a child artist, there was a long span in Deepak’s career where he didn’t actively pursue acting. Deepak recalls, “I had quit films and was doing business. Then, in 2020, COVID-19 happened. Suddenly, I started noticing the core emotions of humans. That’s when I realised storytelling is a great art form, and my passion took off.”
The title Siddharth Roy also reminds one of Kushi, the 2001 Pawan Kalyan starrer where the rebellious protagonist was also named "Siddhu" Siddhartha Roy. Deepak is quick to clarify that it’s merely a coincidence and that his film’s title has a different origin, mentioning that Siddharth Roy is based on a true story. Deepak adds, “Siddhartha is a reverse thesis of Gautama Buddha. Roy, on the other hand, is a tribute of sorts to the Bengali man who inspired the director.”
Based on the film's teaser and trailer, comparisons with Arjun Reddy (2017) have come to the fore. The actor reiterates that once the audience goes in to watch Siddharth Roy, they will forget all comparisons within the first 10 minutes. “While the stories of an Arjun Reddy or an Animal emerged out of a conflict with someone else, or for someone else, the conflict in Siddharth Roy is his own. It is completely internal. Even though Siddharth Roy looks harsh on the outside, his character arc and journey is more on the softer side", clarifies Deepak.
When asked if he has ever contemplated getting into production — to craft his projects instead of waiting for good scripts to come his way — Deepak replies, I consider myself as a full-time actor at the moment, however, we have plans. We are developing a few stories, and venture into production. Being a producer is all about having the right mindset and investing in the right idea, and we have thought about it.”
Deepak also expresses a keen desire to explore acting in its entirety. “I am open to doing characters. I am also open to working in other industries, but that character should have an impact on the story. Siddharth Roy is not an attempt at instant stardom, it’s an attempt to showcase my talent. It is one step towards my trajectory to stardom.”
