Actor Siddharth Nigam revealed he lost the lead role in Azaad to Ajay Devgn’s nephew Aaman Devgan despite being prepared and in talks for it. He expressed frustration over lack of industry support, saying talent alone isn't always enough
Siddharth Nigam and Aaman Devgan
Ajay Devgn's nephew Aaman Devgan made his Bollywood debut earlier this year with the film Azaad. The film also marked the acting debut of Raveena Tandon's daughter, Rasha Thadani. Actor Siddharth Nigam recently revealed that he was supposed to be a part of the film but lost the role to Aaman.
Siddharth Nigam on losing film to Aaman
Siddharth Nigam has been a part of the entertainment industry for a decade now and has worked extensively on television. He also appeared in Salman Khan’s film Kisi Ka Bhai Kisi Ki Jaan. “Sometimes, talent isn’t enough! I wish I had a godfather too. I was disappointed, heartbroken, but then I made myself understand that this is quite common,” he told Hindustan Times.
Talking about losing Azaad to Ajay Devgn’s nephew at the last minute, Siddharth said, “After spending 10 years in the industry, it hits hard when something you’ve worked towards just slips away because of something out of your control—like someone’s last name. I was in talks, prepped, and ready, and then suddenly the project went to Ajay Devgn’s nephew, Aaman. There was no explanation, no closure—just silence.”
He added, “It's demotivating when you lose projects due to lack of support or that final push in the industry. I won’t lie—it hurt. My mother was even more hurt, as she had been going to meetings with me and has seen me work hard all these years. I have the screen presence, skills, and discipline. But even then, I lost the role—not because I wasn’t good enough, but because I didn’t have the right support.”
'Wish I had a godfather'
Nigam says that the setback has not demotivated him but makes him feel like things would have been better had he had a godfather in the industry. "I don’t have a godfather, but sometimes, I wish I did. Just someone to put their hand on my shoulder and say, ‘Don’t worry, I’ve got your back.’ But I’ve always had to be my own support system. My mother, my brother—we’ve built everything from scratch.”
While Nigam has made notable presence in movies, he is still awaiting that one project that will set him apart. "I have done quite a few big banner projects, like Dhoom 3 and Kisi Ka Bhai Kisi Ki Jaan, but I’m still waiting for that film—where people look at me and say, ‘This is Siddharth Nigam, the actor.’ Not just the face or the physique, but the performer,” he said.
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