Sidharth Malhotra reveals his debut in Bollywood was not supposed to be Student of The Year

Reflecting on the setback, Sidharth said it felt as though the "ground had shifted" beneath him.

Actor Sidharth Malhotra recently opened up about the early days of his career and the unexpected twists that shaped his entry into Bollywood. While he made his debut with Karan Johar’s Student of the Year, he revealed that this was not the project he had initially expected to launch with.

According to a News18 report, Sidharth had signed a completely different film before Student of the Year. He recalled that he was barely 21 or 22 when he moved to Mumbai, convinced that he had already secured his first Hindi movie.

Sharing his emotional state at the time, the actor said, "I thought my life was about to begin… and then that film never took off. I was back to ground zero and found myself filled with self-doubt, questioning whether I stay here or go back."

Sidharth added that he suddenly felt "was in a new city with no plan." He explained how overwhelming Mumbai can be for newcomers, especially those arriving without a safety net. The Shershah actor admitted that it took time, patience, and resilience to find his footing in the industry.

During this phase, he was grateful to have friends who allowed him to stay in their modest living spaces. He also revealed that at one point he even lived inside the editing room of the production house that had signed him, a period that highlighted just how challenging his journey had become.

Reflecting on the setback, Sidharth said it felt as though the "ground had shifted" beneath him. When the film he had moved cities for collapsed, he found himself completely lost, like many outsiders who face similar uncertainty.

Also read: Sidharth Malhotra calls wife Kiara Advani ‘superhero’ and daughter Saraayah a ‘superstar’: I’m no longer the hero...

But instead of quitting, Sidharth chose to rebuild from scratch. He took up work as an assistant director, learning the craft from behind the camera and slowly finding his way back to acting. As he explained, "That’s when I decided to start from scratch; I began working as an assistant director, learning on set, understanding the craft from behind the camera, and trying to find my way back to acting."

Today, Sidharth is gearing up for his next film, Vvan, in which he stars alongside Tamannaah Bhatia. On the personal front, he recently stepped into a new chapter of life, embracing fatherhood as he and his wife Kiara Advani welcomed their baby girl.