Weeks before he leaves for LA, the aspiring actor tells us why he is just not interested in Bollywood or the family nameIt has been an eventful two and half years for Sidhartha Mallya. He managed his father's IPL team, dated one of the top-billed actresses, kissed her in a packed stadium, broke up with her, made it to headlines, and ran four marathons in two countries. And now, the 25-yearold is all set to wrench himself free from the Mallya tag and fly solo - all the way to Hollywood. With a portfolio shot by a leading glamour photographer. At a suburban five star, over a plate of "no oil - no butter" spaghetti that he is systematically decimating, Sidhartha, in his pucca Brit accent, orange spectacles and muscle-tee, tells us in no uncertain terms, that he is just not interested in his father's legacy. And how he could have easily made a career in Bollywood, but prefers a bigger challenge instead.
Online Experiment
From the looks of it, Sidhartha's online IPL show was a test case. And it has worked to his advantage. "The feedback has been fabulous," he says enthusiastically about Beyond Boundaries. "There have been many offers from TV channels who want to adopt the format. I am told I am a natural before the camera." And though he admits to have been toying with several of these options, he is clear about what he will not be doing: "No sitting on a couch and gossiping about personal lives. That is not me." He tells us, his ideal show format would be a Friday Night with Jonathan Ross, and how he adores Russell Brand's sense of humour. We realise, his idols are all Europeans. Sidhartha nods - he is not interested in Bollywood. Even though he has dated Deepika Padukone, and is often seen at high profile film parties, Sidhartha says he "does not care about Bollywood." He claims he has seen only three Hindi films till date. Chak De (because he plays hockey), Desi Boyz (which starred Deepika) and Peepli Live. "For the last two films I was taken along... I did not go out to buy tickets," he insists. "I may socialise with entertainers, but I am not interested in the way the industry functions here," he says, explaining why he is almost ready to pack his bags for LA later this month.
Bollywood? Nah!
At a time when half -Indian actors are firing up the imagination of filmmakers here's a bonafide Indian with the right surname - after all Vijay Mallya's calendar girls have successfully switched to films - who seems curiously disenchanted with desi glamour. Sidhartha says it has something to do with accessibility. "It would be way too easy for me do anything here. And as soon as something becomes too simple, I lose interest," says the reluctant scion of the Mallya empire, adding, he'd rather make it big in the West instead. There are rumours about him signing up with a production house and starting an independent outfit of his own. There are reports of him taking up acting courses in Los Angeles. And there are also rumours that he may be signed on as the face of a luxury brand. Sidhartha admits, there is a lot that is coming his way, but insists, he does not need to attend any acting course. "I am a natural," he reminds us.
We are tempted to think Sidhartha's disenchantment with Bollywood may also have something to do with his snapping of ties with Deepika. But he chooses to be evasive, saying, "With so much of my life already under scrutiny, I should be allowed to draw the line somewhere."
Sidhartha, Not a Mallya
But there could also be something else - the desire not to have anything to do with his father's business and social interests. "I have been fortunate to be born into this family. It is a great platform and I am not denying that it opens up a lot of doors. I am not ashamed of it. But I am not content to be just another But there could also be something else - the desire not to have anything to do with his father's business and social interests. "I have been fortunate to be born into this family. It is a great platform and I am not denying that it opens up a lot of doors. I am not ashamed of it. But I am not content to be just another Mallya," he says. Perhaps one of the reasons why the enfant terrible is keen to step out of his father's formidable shadow is the "excessive scrutiny" that he is subjected to, sometimes "unfairly." "If something that is out of my control goes wrong, fingers are pointed at me because I am a part of the family," says Sidhartha, adding, "When there were troubles with Kingfisher airlines, people started tweeting as if I am somehow responsible for it. As if, I was flying the aircrafts!" In fact, he even rubbishes the elite university education he received, meant to prep him for the role of Mallya Junior. "The degree I got is worthless. I learnt more about management from my hockey team instead," he shrugs. Sidhartha's Indian stint has been marked by his many controversies. "I am instinctive and impulsive," he admits, talking about the Ayesha Takia and IPL fiasco. But he also clarifies that his father has never "done any damage control." If he has apologised, it was never for me, he knows how I am. He only follows company protocol." But yes, he is disappointed with the way some of his comments have been 'misinterpreted'.
Spaghetti over, and we are back to the topic that Sidhartha obviously holds dear. "To me the name Sidhartha is helluva lot more important than a Mallya," he says, and then quotes from his book of life. "I coined this myself four years back, a biz daily used it..." he says, "Listen to your heart a bit, listen to your head a bit, but always listen to your ba**s."
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