Siddhant Chaturvedi On The Rejection That Made Him 'Shave His Head': "Curly Baal Waale Hero Nahi Bante"

Siddhant Chaturvedi, who made his debut with Gully Boy, recently opened up about a rejection early in his career that left a deep impact on him.

What's Happening

• In an interview with Hindustan Times, Siddhant spoke about a personal experience that mirrors the theme of his upcoming film Do Deewane Seher Mein. 
• In the romantic drama, his character is turned down in an arranged marriage setup because of a lisp. 
• When asked if he had ever faced rejection for an unusual reason, the actor shared a memory from his struggling days.
• "I have faced many rejections when I was struggling to get into acting. But I remember one that stayed with me for a long time. I had left CA just 1-2 years prior to that. I auditioned for a big film, and I got shortlisted. There were several workshops, and I blended into the character. I was marvelling that it had only been a year since I had won Fresh Face, and here I was in a film as the lead," he shared. 
• He added, "It felt so easy. The director and the casting director liked me. But after 3-4 months of workshops, the producer watched the screen test and rejected me. I asked the casting director, and he said it was because of my curly hair. 'Curly baal wale hero nahi bante'."
• Siddhant said he was then advised to straighten his hair and try again. He followed the suggestion, only to face another setback.
• "Zyada straight ho gaye hain baal'. I wondered, "What is this criterion to reject someone?" Siddhant recalls feeling really hurt and sad after the rejection. 
• "After I was finally rejected, I went home and shaved my head. I was so sad. That stayed with me for a long time," he said.

'Started Embracing Curly Hair Again': Siddhant Chaturvedi

The decision was especially tough because his mother loved his natural curls. Over time, however, the actor says he learned to embrace them again.

Referring to the promotional material of his new film, Siddhant said, "Look at it now, it's on the poster in the centre. And I am happy with that."

Background

Do Deewane Seher Mein also stars Mrunal Thakur and is directed by Ravi Udyawar. The film is produced by Sanjay Leela Bhansali and is scheduled to release in theatres on February 20.