At work, we all look for that comfort of home and love of siblings that can make things easier. While many of us are not lucky enough to find the same, there are two brothers who are blessed to have that comfort and are here to mark an impression in the world of entertainment. Meet Abhishek Nigam & Siddharth Nigam, who are working together in Hero-Gayab Mode On, for SonyLIV and have shot to fame at an early age. With their roots in Allahabad, the young actors never planned to choose acting as a career, but they think that destiny gave them the best and now they are going to make the most of it. The cover boys of the September issue talk about their journey and the common support system that keeps them grounded.
Siddharth, you were into gymnastics. What made you choose acting as a profession?
I guess it was all destined to happen and that’s the reason at the age of 9, I bagged my first commercial advertisement of Bournvita while I was in Chennai for a national-level gymnastics competition. That is when I realized I was never camera conscious. And now when I look back, I think this fearless attitude of being in front of the camera and the discipline that gymnastics has built in me, this combination together has helped me reach this height in my career, that at a young age I got a chance to work in Dhoom 3 with Aamir Khan (sir).
So, how was the experience of working under the mentorship of Aamir Khan?
The project not only gave me a name in the industry but also taught me the nuances of acting. After the acting workshop for the character, when I met Yash Raj Films casting director Shanoo Sharma (ma’am) and Aamir (sir), they were impressed by my performance, and I think that was the biggest achievement for me. And later that opportunity opened my gateway to success. (TMM)
Abhishek, you were a studious boy. Growing up, what were your dreams?
Just like Siddharth, I also never thought that I will land up in the world of entertainment. I was always a studious student and after schooling, I went to Pune and was pursuing my undergraduate degree in law and that is when things took a turn and soon I bagged the lead role in Akbar Rakht Se Takht Ka Safar for Big Magic show.
What kind of bond do you guys share with each other?
Siddharth: He is four years elder to me, so whatever is said and done, he is always like a protective shield for me and has been guiding me all these years. When we are on shoots together, we work as professionals, but the comfort we share is of brothers, so it becomes very easy to play your character or even understand the nuances during the shoot. After all, we are brothers first and then actors.
Abhishek Nigam: At work, we try to be as professional as we can, but at the end of the day we are brothers, so that chemistry automatically overpowers on the set and even on-screen and I guess that makes the work easier and effortless. During Hero-Gayab Mode On we got a chance to work and spend more time together, otherwise, we hardly get a chance to meet or spend time together, so I guess this show has given us a chance to work and grow together (touchwood).
Talk about your inspiration and support system in the world of glamour.
Siddharth: For both of us, our mom had been the biggest support system ever since our childhood days. We both have been quite open to mom and share all our worries, happiness, and joys. When we made a move to Mumbai, it was not easy to live without her and now that she is easier, things are easier for us. While we both don’t get to meet each other often, due to our different shooting hours, coming home to see mom is what excites us and she completes us in all senses.
Abhishek Nigam: She’s not only inspires and supports us, but keeps us united as a family and that is what keeps us grounded and energized for a better tomorrow for our family.
How do you see social media as a tool?
Siddharth: With great powers, comes great responsibility. As a public figure, I know people look up to me and I try to post as much as I can about my work so that it inspires others to make their dreams come true. Also, in recent times I have realized that it is a medium that gives me the scope to connect with my fans and know what they feel about me and my work. It gives me the push to perform better and entertain them.
Abhishek Nigam: I am quite a private person, so for me, social media has nothing to do with sharing my personal life. I use it as a tool to entertain and interact with my followers and fans. Also, I share content related to my work because there are times when people get inspired to work hard to achieve their dreams. So, if my content can change the life of someone, why not!
Television or silver screen, which medium is comforting for you?
Siddharth: First of all, I would never go for what is comforting, because to grow, you need to challenge yourself. Having said that, in terms of complexities and hard work that goes into making both, I feel television is more challenging because it’s a system that goes on for years and you have to dedicate fixed hours daily, which is exhausting and at times monotonous. Whereas movies are 45-90 days schedule and you move from one character to other and challenge yourself to bring something more on the screen. So, going forward, I would like to do more in terms of movies and (now) web series as well, as it gives you a wider reach and a bigger canvas to play around with.
Abhishek Nigam: I won’t choose one, because I have realized that at the end, only the size of the screen changes, rest the amount of hard work that goes into making a show/movie it’s all same and exhausting. From ideation to execution it requires a lot of effort and we are blessed with talented people in the industry who are running the business with utmost sincerity and creativity.
You both are quite comfortable with contemporaries. How do you do that?
Siddharth: The credit goes to my gymnastics training days, where we were taught to believe in healthy competition and sincerity and that is what I have learned and shared with Abhishek Nigam as well. So when I see a contemporary rising on the success ladder gives me joy and also builds that competitive spirit to work harder to achieve more in life.
Abhishek: I guess this has come to me from Siddharth and I am glad we function the same way. We feel happy to see others grow and try to give that self-push to experiment, explore, and excel. And in case we get distracted as humans, our mom is always there to show us the right path and we are blessed to have her around all the time. Also,
How do you define success and where do you see yourself in the next five years?
Siddharth: For me, success is all about happiness. If you feel happy about what you are doing, then I would say that it is a state of success. People often compare success with assets and money, but for me, it is all about inner satisfaction and happiness. As far as the future is concerned, prefer to live in present, I do make short terms goals but never believe in thinking about the future. One thing is for sure, I will only rise above from here and for that, I am giving my 100 percent. Films and web series are where I belong to and soon I am going to launch my fitness brand. Apart from that, I would like to give back to my home town (Allahabad) for which I wish to set up a gymnastics academy and it will happen soon too!
Abhishek Nigam: I believe in living a simple life and for me, success comes from even the smallest of achievements in life. I want to earn enough to keep my family happy and in the future, if I manage to make surplus money, would Iove to help the needy. As far as the future is concerned, I want to become a successful actor and also use my law degree in running and managing a startup.
The post Double Dose of Brilliance: Abhishek Nigam & Siddharth Nigam appeared first on TMM.