Shraddha Kapoor and I never took dad's help to get work: Siddhanth Kapoor

Mumbai: Despite being the son of veteran actor Shakti Kapoor, who has worked in nearly 700 films, Siddhanth says he and his sister Shraddha never asked their father to recommend them to filmmakers.

Siddhanth, who has worked in films like "Shootout at Wadala", "Ugly" and "Jazbaa", says he got all the films on merit and not by using his father's name.

In an interview with PTI, Siddhanth says, "I have got all the films on my own. I don't let him speak to anyone for me. I will go myself to the director's place and have never asked my father to make a call.
"All the six films I have done, I have got them on my own merit. He does want to help as a father. But my sister and I both have not taken help from our father. Not even one phone call has gone from him to anyone."

On the ongoing debate of nepotism and star kids having it easy in Bollywood, Siddhanth says one may get an opportunity due to family background, but talent is important for survival in the industry.

"I know how the industry works because I have grown up with a lot of star kids and stars. They are amazing people. You do get opportunity as a star kid, but after that it is only your talent which is going to take you ahead."

The 33-year-old actor says it is the baggage of expectations that makes things difficult for star kids.

"People have expectations, they compare you with your father, brother or sister. The pressure comes to your head, and it isn't easy. It's probably easier for an outsider to come here and become stars because they don't carry expectations with them.
"People never had expectations from Anushka Sharma or Kangana Ranaut but they still made it (big) because they are hard working people. We get it on the silver platter, I am not denying that. But then the expectations come."

Siddhanth started his career as an assistant director to filmmaker Priyadarshan and worked on comedy films like "Bhool Bhulaiya", "Bhagam Bhag", "Chup Chup Ke" and "Dhol".

This is in complete contrast to the choices he has made as an actor, gravitating more towards darker films like Anurag Kashyap's "Ugly" or even his latest, "Haseena Parkar".

"The films I have done have a different range because as an actor I like crazy things. Comedy is my favourite genre, and I will do a comedy film. But as an AD (assistant director), I wanted to learn a lot from behind the camera, from the scratch.

"The on-set knowledge you get is phenomenal. I want to do all kinds of role. I can be a girl too if you want, I have no hang ups. If the content is good, I will do anything," he adds.

Director Apoorva Lakhia's biopic on underworld don Dawood Ibrahim's sister Haseena Parkar is set to release on September 22. In the film, Siddhanth plays Ibrahim and insists, grey characters appeal to him the most.

"I am very intrigued with dark, grey characters. I am a very soft guy from heart, very normal. So the characters I have played so far are not me at all and that's what excites me."