Apr 18, 2026 10:34am IST
Siddharth Nigam Talks About ‘Kaptaan’, Working With Salman Khan and Building His Career From Scratch (EXCLUSIVE)
One of the popular young actors on Indian TV, Siddharth Nigam, is seen on the Amazon Prime series, “Kaptaan,” with Saqib Saleem and Kavita Kaushik. In a chat with Variety India, he spoke about his transition, taking calculated risks and his happiness in sharing space with Salman Khan.
You play a gangster in ‘Kaptaan’. From being ‘Ashoka’ on TV to this role, how has the journey been for you?
I am really happy with all the hard work I did last year. I was very confused. I was nervous and stressed, because I've always wanted to do something like this. And these are roles I have never done before in my life. People have seen me as a chocolate boy doing positive characters and larger-than-life roles with Ashoka (‘Chakravartin Ashoka Samrat’) or Aladdin (‘Aladdin - Naam Toh Suna Hoga’). And then it becomes very difficult to break that stereotype and tell people that Siddharth has grown up from a boy to a man. He is a very versatile actor, and can play a positive character, an anti-hero and a villain at the same time.
When you see the character of Kabir, you will find him very calculative and someone who has a deep sense of shame in him. There is a reason why he has transformed into what he is. “Kaptaan” has some fight scenes that I enjoyed immensely. It is different from whatever I have done before.
You have done some really big-budget shows on TV. Do you feel you got pigeon-holed and it was tough to break out of that mould?
I think it is not a problem when you do a TV show, and you’re not famous. You make money, and it is good. But when you do shows like “Ashoka” or “Aladdin” that become blockbusters, people stop seeing the character as a mere character. Ashoka was not just a character, it was a vibe, a feeling and an inspiration for many. I would meet many people who did not know much about the shows but would say, ‘Hey, I’m a big fan.’ Both my shows were big blockbusters and brought me popularity.
And typecasting is something most actors face at some point, which I have also faced in my journey. I have a lot of offers to do something similar to Ashoka, but I know I have to take risks and not repeat things. But I had to work in my comfort zone as I needed to take a break to take risks. I am not from the industry, so I cannot say no to work. I don't have any family or background that is giving me money to run the house and live a life.
Everything was built by my own hard work and with the belief and blessing of my mother. She too worked hard, and we do not have the backing of anyone. If I fail, there is no one to help me. It was a risky decision to take a break from TV and wait for something better and more challenging.
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Did you feel anxious during this period?
Depression is not the right word. I was not depressed. I wondered how I would do it? How will I achieve this? So, when you go out of your comfort zone, that's the real challenge. I told myself, ‘I have to do it. I have to go to every audition.’
You began with a film like “Kisi Ka Bhai Kisi Ki Jaan,” which is not amongst Salman Khan’s best. How do you look back at the decision, given that it had a huge ensemble cast?
If I decide on anything, I take the entire responsibility on myself and don't regret that decision. I was at the stage where people told me I have no Godfather or someone who is telling me to wait because he is making a project for me. Actors like me have to pave our own way. We have to create that path for ourselves. When you talk about “Kisi Ka Bhai Kisi Ki Jaan,” it was a dream come true for me, as it would be for any actor, especially when Salman (Khan) Sir is calling you and saying, "Let’s do a film together." The good thing was that he had seen my work in Ashoka. Our sets were close to each other. So, he knew me from there and after seven years, he immediately took my name for that role. He said he knows a boy who can act and fight like the character. It was important for me that he felt that I could do good action and acting. Just sharing space with Salman Sir and the team was a very big thing. I felt happy knowing that he thought that this guy is someone I can give an opportunity to and he has the ability to stand next to me. I do not think of the film in terms of business or reviews.
As an outsider, what is one thing about the industry that upsets you?
I do not mind failing at auditions. What hurts is you are not even aware that an audition is on. Also, I have done so many auditions without a clue about what I am doing it for. At times, it is a little disappointing.
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