Actor Rajeev Siddhartha says he found a personal connection with his character in Musafir Cafe

(L-R) Rajeev Siddhartha and Mahima Makwana in ‘Musafir Cafe’

He hopes to publish a book or write a screenplay one day. Until then, Rajeev Siddhartha is content playing a writer on screen, as he did in Musafir Café, starring Vikrant Massey, Vedika Pinto, and Mahima Makwana. To prepare for the role, the actor practised writing during the brief prep period. "I guess God has fulfilled my aspiration of becoming a writer through the character. I did write a couple of short stories to prepare for the part," he says, adding that he had two reasons to sign the Netflix romantic drama.

"When Ruchir [Arun, director] told me about Rahil [his character], his personality, and traits, I was excited. I knew that I could bring something fresh to the table, from the stillness to the power of observation that the character demands. To play such parts subtly with grace is always a challenge, and I love that. In fact, I grew up in Mussoorie. I was in a boarding school till class six. This gave me the opportunity to combine the [two] love of my life - acting and the hills where I grew up," smiles Siddhartha.

While the actor is delighted with the appreciation coming his way, what surprised him most was fans telling him they wanted a partner like Rahil. "The love, appreciation, and the messages that people sent me and what they told me when they met me has been very overwhelming and beyond my expectations. Some even said that they want someone like Rahil in their life, and I am genuinely at a loss for words," beams the actor.

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Rajeev Siddhartha has wrapped up an independent film. "When I read the script for the first time, I told the writer and the director that the film reminded me of films made by Abbas Kiarostami, an Iranian director whose movies are very real and naturalistic, but he tells those stories with so much subtlety and grace that they move you"