Nikhil Siddhartha fears he's wasting the best years of his life; talks about shooting Swayambhu for 2 years | Interview

In an interview with Hindustan Times, Nikhil Siddhartha discusses playing Krishnan Raman in Swayambhu and how he fears he may be wasting time as an actor.

Actor Nikhil Siddhartha has finally wrapped up shooting for his first period action film, Swayambhu. At the end of a 2-year-long journey, the actor shares his experiences of shooting for the film with Hindustan Times. “A lot of people have been asking me why I didn’t release a film this year, but I’ve been waiting for something big. And that big thing is Swayambhu. We spent 170 days over the course of two years shooting for it. In comparison, I shot Karthikeya 2 in 80 days,” says Nikhil, settling down for a candid chat. Excerpts.

Nikhil Siddhartha plays the Chola warrior Krishnan Raman in Swayambhu.

Nikhil Siddhartha to play Krishnan Raman

In the 11th century CE, a Chola warrior named Krishnan Raman existed. Nikhil says that when he heard of this senapati (commander), he just knew his story needed to be told. “I am a huge fan of period content like Game of Thrones or our very own Baahubali. We often discuss the Greek hero Achilles, but few people are familiar with an Indian hero like Krishnan Raman,” says Nikhil, adding, “When I first heard this story and about my role, I loved it. I thought his story must be told. He was a kingmaker, and I am happy I get to play him.”

The challenges of playing a war hero

To play the role in Swayambhu, Nikhil not only transformed himself physically but also mentally. He says he was careful about how his role came across on screen, given that any small mistake could look glaring. “We ensured we were historically accurate, and I know I did justice to my role. Even something as my character using a Sengol (sceptre) was treated with respect. To be in a world away from phones, I did my best to be in that mindset and fit in that time period,” says Nikhil. But ask him what the most challenging part was, and he jokes, “Growing out my hair for 3 months. They wanted to put me in a wig, but I insisted on having my own hair.”

A loyal sidekick named Maruthi

Every hero needs a loyal sidekick, and for Nikhil’s character in Swayambhu, that is a handsome horse that goes by the name of Maruthi. “His real name is Diamond, and I truly enjoyed my time with the horse,” he says, adding, “It’s different when you drive a bike or a car. Horses have a personality, and I needed to understand that before we worked together. I spent three months with him before shooting to form that bond. Wherever I went, the horse would come. We shot some fun scenes together. And I’ll let you in on a secret, Maruthi can speak in the film.”

How Karthikeya 2’s success helped Swayambhu

When Nikhil was approached with the story of Swayambhu, he wondered if they would have the bandwidth or budget to pull off something like this. “The story looked fantastic on paper, but we needed a good budget and graphics. Following the success of Karthikeya 2 in 2021, we secured the necessary budget, and the entire team has done a great job. The film has some out-of-this-world ideas that made me say yes, I just needed to do it. For example, there’s a scene of Maruthi and me going across oceans…I’ve said too much and can’t reveal more,” he says, laughing.

Nikhil Siddhartha fears he's wasting time

After Swayambhu, which will be released on 13 February 2026, Nikhil has exciting films lined up, he says. “I have shot 50% of The India House, it’s a totally different genre for me. Then I have Karthikeya 3, so hopefully there are good times ahead,” says the actor. However, he candidly admits that he fears he is wasting his best years due to long shooting schedules. “There was a time when we could wrap films in six months, and that’s not happening now. As an actor, I fear I am wasting my best years…my young years. But if you don’t spend such time, people no longer watch a film. I only hope that my efforts pay off,” says Nikhil, rounding off.