EXCLUSIVE: Siddhant Karnick on Adipurush facing severe backlash: The intention was to get young generation involved in our mythical gods

Prabhas and Kriti Sanon starrer Adipurush emerged as one of the highest grosser of 2023. Despite that, the film faced flak for its visual representation and dialogues. The flick boasted an ensemble. Among the cast, actor Siddhant Karnick, who essayed the role of Vibhishan in Adipurush, has opened up about the criticism film received.

In an exclusive conversation with Bollywood Bubble, the actor also revealed how he bagged the role. Siddhant Karnick also shared how was his camaraderie with Saif Ali Khan and Prabhas during the shoot of Adipurush. Excerpts:

What was your first reaction when this mythological drama was offered to you?

Firstly, I’m not in a position where films are offered to me. So I had to work hard to get it as opposed to being offered.  When Om Raut told me that I have been confirmed, I went down into my car and burst out crying. It was a very overwhelming moment for me because I knew it was a big break. I got it after struggling for 19 years. My father had passed away few months before the film released. So I was missing him as well.

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A post shared by Siddhant Karnick (@siddhantkarnick)

Did you refer old Ramayana for the reference of Vibhishan?

I certainly did not want to go back to the old Ramayana and see what Vibhishan then was. Because I had to approach it in a very new manner. It is an old story being told to an audience of today.

How was your camaraderie with Saif Ali Khan and Prabhas? At any point, were you intimidated by their presence?

I was not intimidated by them. Not once did they ever make me feel like they are a superstar. When we were on set,  we were fellow actors who would come to do our jobs. But regarding the camaraderie,  it’s not like we became best friends.  We are professionals on set and there’s no reason we make a friendship beyond that. If it happens organically, great.  

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A post shared by Siddhant Karnick (@siddhantkarnick)

The film received backlash for its modern-day interpretation. Your thoughts on that…

I have made peace with the fact as an artist we cannot make everybody happy. If I’m going to live in that illusion, I’ll never be happy myself in life because it’s impossible to do that.  So,  there was a big section who was upset with the way Om Raut’s perception of Ramayana was. But there was a section that liked it all.  I chose to focus on the section that liked it. An 8-year-old boy was dancing Jai Shri Ram song. That was our intention to get the younger generation more involved in our mythical gods, so that they wear T-shirts of Lord Ram and Hanumanji,  as opposed to Marvel comics,  Incredible Hulk and Iron Man.

Siddhant Karnick on working in television

Choose Filters

Normal

1977

Crema

Ludwig

Moon

Willow

If something prominent is offered to you, will you switch to television?

For 14 years,  I was part of the television industry.  I would like to believe that I learned as much as I could from television. And now I feel that I want to learn more from web shows and international shows and theatre.  So it’s not like there’s a no to TV.  It’s just that there’s a big yes to films and web shows.

Also Read: EXCLUSIVE: Made In Heaven 2 actor Siddhant Karnick on the existence of toxic relationships: They have been there for ages but nobody has said anything about it