Siddharth Nigam on toughest years of his career and his musical play Kaneez

“We literally shifted to 1BHK, didn't know what to do”, Siddharth Nigam recalls the toughest years of his career, Exclusive

Siddharth Nigam is stepping into a new artistic chapter with his debut musical play, marking a major shift from his screen journey so far. In a conversation with Moneycontrol.com, the actor said the decision came from a deep urge to challenge himself and explore a medium he had always admired from afar.

The actor described this new phase as a conscious leap. “To do something like this, to do a theatre play… I wanted to experience this platform, to be a theatre actor,” he said. The shift to live performance, he explained, grew from his desire to evolve as an artist. “For me also, I am a learner and I just wanted to explore more.”

Nigam shared that the story of the musical captured him instantly. “It is a beautiful story… I want to narrate you definitely, the story is amazing,” he said, adding that the emotional depth of the narrative was a major factor. “I’m the story and the emotions,” he explained, speaking about what pulled him in.

He also credited the makers for giving him clarity and confidence about the project. “He told me how he has planned everything. So, this is the best opportunity I can get,” Nigam said.

For an actor who has dominated television and digital spaces, stepping onto a theatre stage isn’t just a creative decision; it is a defining milestone. “It is my first theatre play, so I was like, yeah, I have to do this,” he said. “And that is when I decided that I’m going to do it.”

Siddharth Nigam alsi opened up about the most difficult chapter of his career, recalling the unpredictable nature of the entertainment industry and the years that tested his patience, finances and self-belief. The actor, who began working at a young age with films like Dhoom 3 and shows like Ashoka, said the journey wasn’t as effortless as it once seemed.

“It’s been 10 years in the industry and I have realized one thing that this life is very unpredictable. It is not a life where if you become an actor, your whole life gets solved,” he said. According to him, early success can often mask how unstable the profession is. “When you are in the sky, when you are down, you don’t know.”

He spoke about an unexpected downturn after a strong start. “I started very nicely. I started very early, from a very young age. With a good project I took a step in this industry. Dhoom 3, then Ashoka, then Jhalak Dikhhla Jaa. While doing that, there was a big gap of one to two years. I realized that the way I was looking at the industry, this industry is not like that. Here you have to work harder.”

The setback was not only emotional but also financial. “There was a gap of two to five years where we literally shifted to 1BHK. I didn’t know what to do. Then I went again back to Allahabad. I completed my 12th exams and everything. Then again I came to Mumbai. And then I got Aladdin. When I got Aladdin, things got better again.”

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He said the toughest part was managing life at home when work was uncertain. “The financial things that happen up and down, it is very difficult to manage them. Everyone has to manage their house. We don’t have any other work other than acting. We are actors. We have to act. We have to get good projects.”

That low phase changed him. “I learned a lot from that. I learned patience. Resilience is very important. It is very important to be focused. And it is very important to have confidence in yourself.” He added that the mind becomes unstable during those moments. “Your mind wanders here and there. You don’t even understand. It is very important to stay focused properly and patiently wait for things.”
For him, survival came down to one lesson. “Everything is all about time. Nothing happens before time. Nothing happens after time. Whatever happens, will happen on time.”