For Siddhant Chaturvedi, Yudhra is a significant milestone as it will see him as a solo lead for the first time. The action thriller is directed by Ravi Udyawar, best known for directing Sridevi’s comeback film Mom. While the excitement is palpable, the actor says there is inherent pressure and fear that comes with the responsibility of playing the lead of a film. (Also Read: Siddhant Chaturvedi clarifies after being called arrogant over roundtable remarks: ‘You have to stick to your word’)
Siddhant on his film Yudhra
“I always wanted to get into cinema because everyone has some kind of an aspiration and this is one such film. I want people to shower love, get excited and be glued to their seats,” the 31-year-old actor said in an interview to PTI.
He said, “Some things are not in your control and hopefully things will turn out fine. But there is also a bit of pressure and fear, which is part of the job. I am sure this film will surprise people.”
Siddhanth, who made an impressive debut as a veteran rapper MC Sher in Zoya Akhtar’s 2019 film Gully Boy, said Yudhra was going to be his next “big ticket solo hero” action film after his debut film, but the project was delayed due to the pandemic. The film, produced by Farhan Akhtar and Ritesh Sidhwani’s Excel Entertainment, was officially announced in 2021.
Making the most of your time during a pandemic
The theory used at the time in Jiu-Jitsu, Japanese martial arts, kickboxing, Taekwondo, and gymnastics.
He said, “We wanted an international crew and the action director is the same who trained Tom Cruise for The Last Samurai, Die Hard and other big films. But in those two years, there were restrictions because of the pandemic, so everything was on hold. Then I did Gehraiyaan, Phone Bhoot and Bunty Aur Babli 2.”
However, the actor focused on his fitness during the pandemic as he wanted to give his best in the action film.
He said, “I used to work out for three to four hours every day. I trained myself, watched a lot of videos and listened to motivational music and that helped me improve my physique. When we shot, it was a lot easier because that’s what I had been doing in my mind for two years, like fighting people, shadow boxing, I was in the Karate Kid zone. I love action and I wanted to give it my all.”
staying ahead of the curve
Even though Yudhra took over four years to be made, the actor’s faith in the script and the producers’ support enabled him to focus on his training and preparation for the role. He was confident that “nothing could go wrong” because the producers of Don were with him.
He said, “Action was not at its peak at that time, so we were ahead of the curve. My conviction about the script was as strong as Farhan’s and Ritesh sir’s. Any other producer would have backed out thinking ‘this is a newcomer, new boy, big-scale film, not possible’, but we all had complete faith in the script.”
Siddhanth is happy that he has come into this film after showing his versatility in other projects, be it Gehraiyaan or the coming-of-age drama Kho Gaye Hum Kahan.
“In a way (the difference) helped because as an action hero you need equity, so I did a few films before that and that worked in my favour. It was tough but I was never scared, I don’t know why,” he said.
What makes Yudhra different?
Siddhanth said that ‘Yudhra’ is a unique action film that has a mix of both romance and drama. In the film, the actor plays a man who has a mission and anger issues.
He said, “In 2019, I can’t count on any action film coming out. There was a market for action films, but not in a great way. There was a roundtable with Ayushmann (Khurrana) and Ranveer (Singh) where they said, ‘We don’t make great action films.’ That happened exactly when I signed it (Yudhra).”
The actor said, “Then came War, Pathan and all these films, but I still feel this film is different from them. It is a different attempt (at action films), it is not just based on violence or effects, it has a great story, it has ups and downs and it is a roller coaster ride with romance, action and everything.”
Yudhra also stars Malavika Mohanan, Raj Arjun, Ram Kapoor and Gajraj Rao in pivotal roles. It will release in theatres on September 20.
