Feb 12, 2026 11:25am IST
‘’Dhurandhar’ Is Being Loved Everywhere, North-South Divide Is Hyped By Trolls’: ‘Swayambhu’ Actor Nikhil Siddhartha (EXCLUSIVE)
Nikhil Siddhartha is super excited about his next film, “Swayambhu,” which is based on the life of an Indian emperor. The actor has explored various genres in cinema and is a huge fan of movies like “Troy” and “300.” He says, “I get instantly drawn to such stories—tales from Indian history that are lost in time. Even Karthikeya 2 was about such a story around Lord Krishna. I did not plan to be part of such movies. As a kid, I loved the “Amar Chitra Katha” series and bedtime stories told by my grandparents. They held a different kind of fascination.”
He further tells us that “Swayambhu” is inspired by the tales of Krishnan Raman, who served the Chola king Rajaraja Chola I. Nikhil Siddhartha says that Krishnan Raman did not get as much credit as he deserved. “As a young man, he was pushed into a situation that would decide the fate of a kingdom. The minute I heard what Bharat Krishnamachari had put on paper, I knew I had to be a part of it. He travelled to nations like Indonesia and Mauritius, which still follow our ancient culture. Our director has done a lot of research on him,” Nikhil explains.
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The success of films like “Kantara,” “Hanu-Man,” and “Karthikeya 2” has made mythology one of the favorite genres in India. Tollywood has upcoming releases like SS Rajamouli’s magnum opus “Varanasi” and others lined up. The box office success of such movies has also surprised people across Indian film industries. “I feel it is okay to have multiple movies in and around mythological subjects as long as they are not made as cash grabs. Movies around divinity need to be made well. “Swayambhu” is more of a period film on the lines of “Game of Thrones.” It is about real incidents 1000 years back revolving around kings, conquests, power struggles, and so on. “Karthikeya 3” is going to be totally different from the first two films. I love to experiment,” he shares. Nikhil Siddhartha further says that filmmaker Chandoo Mondeti and he were adamant about beginning “Karthikeya 3” only when they had a solid plot. “People hastily make sequels when one film does well. At times, this tends to backfire. After the success of “Karthikeya 2,” people want ten more such films. But good stories take time,” he reflects.
Nikhil Siddhartha has one of the most diverse filmographies in the current crop of Telugu actors. After a string of failures at the start of his career, he established himself as a bankable actor mainly due to his content-driven films. Yet, he keeps a low profile. When we ask him if he considers himself underrated, he states, “I am very happy with what I have. People walk up to me and say they love my films that can be watched with the entire family. I want to be part of great films. I want those films to be remembered by the audience. I am not here to be a celebrity or a star. My heart is full when people discuss “Karthikeya 2” in some other part of the world. I like to spend time with my family and keep a low profile. I am a bit shy. People tell me to up my PR game, but I am content with whatever I have.”
All of us are familiar with the North vs. South debate on social media. Fans of superstars from Hindi and South Indian industries do not seem to miss a chance to pull down their rivals. “People enjoy good films irrespective of the language. “Dhurandhar” is being loved in Telangana and Andhra Pradesh. I grew up watching Shah Rukh Khan and Salman Khan movies. Rajinikanth Sir, Prabhas, Allu Arjun are loved in the North. That kind of negativity is only done by trolls online. They just want to create trouble. I do not pay attention to this,” he shares.
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