'Just rejected them': Siddharth reveals he was often offered roles involving 'slapping women' and 'pinching navel'

Actor Siddharth has long been a staunch advocate for authenticity in his roles, choosing to break free from typical, macho film characters that dominate the commercial industry. Recently, at the Hyderabad Literary Festival, Siddharth shared a candid conversation with singer Vidya Rao, his wife Aditi Rao Hydari's mother, about his career choices and how he consciously avoided toxic masculinity in cinema.

Siddharth revealed that he was often offered scripts that involved harmful portrayals of masculinity, such as slapping women, performing item numbers, or portraying domineering behavior toward women. "I used to get scripts where I'm slapping women, doing item songs, pinching somebody's navel, telling a woman what she should do, where she should go. And if those films had great scripts, they would've made great, successful films."

Despite the potential for such roles to catapult him to commercial success, he made the deliberate choice to turn them down. "I just rejected them. I might be a far bigger movie star today if I was differently wired. I instinctively did what I liked," he admitted.

In his two-decade-long acting journey, Siddharth's focus has been on selecting roles that defy the stereotypical image of the 'macho hero,' aiming instead for depth, vulnerability, and character-driven stories. "Everyone around me was trying to be aggressive and macho. They're all mard ko dard nahi hota (men don't feel pain) kind of thing, and I was happy to cry on screen," he said.

This authenticity in his work has resonated with audiences, especially those who appreciate the actor's respectful approach: "Today, people tell me you were respectful to women, you were good to parents, you were good with kids, you looked cute. And their kids watch my films from 15 years ago. It's such a gratifying feeling; it's not something that can be measured in crores," he says.

Siddharth's upcoming projects, include The Test with Nayanthara and Madhavan, and a key role in the highly anticipated Indian 3, showcase his versatility and his determination to continue telling stories that align with his values.

For more news and updates from the world of OTT, and celebrities from Bollywood and Hollywood, keep reading Indiatimes Entertainment.