‘I’m more inclined towards thrillers with a tinge of mystery’

Before the release of the Nikhil Siddhartha and Anupama Parameshwaran starrer 18 Pages, the Karthikeya 2 actor interacted with the Hyderabadi media sharing some interesting insights about the film.

Amartya Smaran

Luxuriating in the success of the hundred cross grosser, Karthikeya-2, actor Nikhil Siddhartha is all set to woo the audience, with a rather interesting romantic comedy titled 18 pages, which will hit the cinemas today.

Penned by ace director Sukumar and directed by Palnati Surya Pratap of Kumari 21F fame, 18 pages is one of the many collaborations between GA2 pictures and Sukumar Writings. The buzz around the film has steadily picked up as a result of the soothing and soul touching music scored by Gopi Sundar. Thanks to a fantastic trailer put together by Naveen Nooli, which amped up the curiosity amongst the film goers.

In a press meet, The Karthikeya 2 actor revealed for the first time that he despises love stories. Then, what possibly could have pushed him to be a part of a rom-com? “I hate love stories. Even if you look at Surya vs Surya, more than a love story, it was more about a physically challenged guy. I had never done a love story prior to that. I’m more inclined towards thrillers and stories that have a tinge of mystery. 18 pages offers a lot more than a simple love story. It’s got thrill, emotions, and twists throughout the film,” said Nikhil.

Giving us a clear look at what makes 18 pages super special, the Swamy Ra Ra star schmoozed, “You can fall in love with a person in a second, one month or a year, but this guy falls in love in 18 pages. When the director pitched the concept, I was really impressed. What makes this simple story stand out is the number of twists and turns. I myself couldn’t guess the climax of the film. Usually, we play the guessing game while watching a thriller film, but this film is different. It keeps the audience guessing. To fail in love, one has to fall in love, right? We worked on this interesting point.”

In 2012, when it all looked like it was finished, Nikhil bounced back with Swamy Ra Ra. Since then, he’s only matured as an actor. People took notice of his appetite for choosing unique scripts irrespective of the numbers his films racked up. Chewing the fat on the topic of staying relevant and relatable, Kirrak Party actor mused, “When you talk to people, they give you their opinion. Sometimes, what happens is that individuals around you at the workplace might not be able to give you the right picture or idea of where you stand.

Luckily, through social media, I was fortunate enough to understand what the public was thinking of me. I have a fake account, and I often read the comments. Also, I have a bunch of good friends and well wishers who give me their honest opinion without sugarcoating anything. I keep myself grounded by constantly staying in touch with the general public. That’s my reality check!”

Karthikeya 2 has catapulted the leading man’s career into the top league. Currently, he signed up for three projects. One among them is Karthikeya 3 which should mostly release by the first half of 2023. Spy is another film that could possibly create Pan-Indian magic. With 18 pages, Nikhil is hoping to end the year with a good bang. If the film works, it’d be his second hit in 2022.