Actor Savi Sidhu who has featured in movies like "Black Friday", "Gulaal" and "Patiala House" is working as a security guard in Malad here.
In a video shared by Film Companion on YouTube, Savi spoke about his struggling days and what led him to take up the security guard's job. "The toughest phase of my life was when I lost my wife. Then my father passed away and my mother also died and later in-laws too. I was left alone. I am all alone," he said.
The actor did his schooling from Lucknow. He went to Chandigarh for further studies where someone suggested him to go for modelling. He did that and went back to Lucknow to study Law. He also did theatre there.
On being a security guard, he said: "It is a 12-hour tough job. It's a mechanical job. I don't even have money to buy bus tickets. To watch a film in theatre is like a dream now. My financial condition is not good."
Despite financial crisis and working as a security guard, he hopes to "have a good bank balance and bag roles in films soon".
"I am hopeful they (producers and directors) will give me a chance. I know they will not say no. I have always received a positive response from them. They are waiting for me, mai aa raha hoon (I am coming back)," he concluded.
Rajkummar Rao, Anurag Kashyap laud actor-turned-security guard Savi Sidhu for leading a life of dignity
Actor Rajkummar Rao and filmmaker Anurag Kashyap have come out in support of actor Savi Sidhu, who is now working as a security guard here due to a financial crisis.
Rajkummar on Tuesday took to Twitter to extend support to Savi saying: "Will ask my casting friends to reach out to you."
Savi has featured in movies such as "Black Friday", "Gulaal" and "Patiala House". In a video shared by Film Companion on YouTube, Savi spoke about his struggling days and what led him to take up a security guard's job.
Very inspired by ur story #SaviSidhu sir. Have always admired ur work in all ur films. Love ur positivity. Will def ask all my casting friends to reach out to u. Thank u @FilmCompanion for sharing his story. Perseverance is the key to overcoming obstacles. https://t.co/mITl3DsmzF
— Rajkummar Rao (@RajkummarRao) March 19, 2019
As the video is trending online, Rajkummar thanked the portal for sharing Savi's story.
The "Stree" actor also praised Savi. He wrote: "Very inspired by your story Savi Sidhu Sir. Have always admired your work in all your films. Love your positivity. Perseverance is the key to overcoming obstacles."
Savi, who started his Bollywood career with Anurag's films, currently works for 12 hours a day as a security guard.
Please watch and if there is work for him you know where to find him.#savisidhu https://t.co/FuwvVpzwyr
— Patralekhaa (@Patralekhaa9) March 19, 2019
"It is a 12-hour tough job. It's a mechanical job. I don't even have money to buy bus tickets. To watch a film in theatre is like a dream now. My financial condition is not good," he said in the video.
On seeing the video, Anurag tweeted: "I respect Savi Siddhu as an actor and have cast him thrice when he earned the role. I respect him that he chose to live his life with dignity and picked a job unlike so many entitled out of work actors who have either become alcoholics or wasted themselves away."
There are so many actors out there who don’t have work. I respect Savi Siddhu as an actor and have cast him thrice when he earned the role. I respect him that he chose to live his life with dignity and picked a job unlike so many entitled out of work actors who have either
— Anurag Kashyap (@anuragkashyap72) March 19, 2019
2... become alcoholics or wasted themselves away. Nawaz used to be a watchman, I used to be a waiter, I met one actor who sells bhelpuri on streets, I know and actor from Black Friday who drives a rickshaw, the lead from Salaam Bombay used to do the same ..
— Anurag Kashyap (@anuragkashyap72) March 19, 2019
3. I have seen the great Uday Chandra who did “Hum Paanch” and “Khel Khiladi Ka” in my early days walking the street. This is also true for many people in all walks of life. This could also be me or anyone else in the future. To give an actor a role out of sympathy is insulting .
— Anurag Kashyap (@anuragkashyap72) March 19, 2019
Sharing examples of actor Nawazuddin Siddiqui and others, Anurag wrote: "He used to be a watchman. I used to be a waiter, I met one actor who sells bhelpuri on streets, I know an actor from 'Black Friday' who drives a rickshaw."
"I have seen the great Uday Chandra who did 'Hum Paanch' and 'Khel Khiladi Ka' in my early days walking the street. This is also true for many people in all walks of life. To give an actor a role out of sympathy, is insulting."
Anurag believes that Savi will have to help himself.
"Only thing one can do is get the casting directors to audition him for him to earn the role and for that, he will have to walk to that casting director's office like million others. He has made a conscious choice and one should be proud of him that he did not allow the vanity of the artiste to destroy him, and he actually does a job."
The art and the artist. Savi will have to help himself. Only thing one can do is get the casting directors to audition him for him to earn the role and for that he will have to walk to that casting directors office like million others. He has made a conscious choice and ..
— Anurag Kashyap (@anuragkashyap72) March 19, 2019
One should be proud of him that he did not allow the vanity of the artist to destroy him , and he actually does a job . I have writers that I have worked with who are always borrowing money, I have seen filmmaker’s I have admired borrow money from me for a meal..
— Anurag Kashyap (@anuragkashyap72) March 19, 2019
To be a watchman is a job, I don’t see it as a small job or big. At least he is not begging . And I genuinely believe that charity does not make art or an artist. There are millions of stories like Savi Siddhu’s.
— Anurag Kashyap (@anuragkashyap72) March 19, 2019
You want to help artists like him then you need to start watching their art by paying for it, by actually be a paying audience. Tweeting the story to me won’t help. I have worked with new comers all my life and I move on to the next new talent I can find .
— Anurag Kashyap (@anuragkashyap72) March 19, 2019
We all make conscious choices. Go to cinemas and buy tickets for films that has unknown amazing talent like Savi Siddhu to make sure that they continue to be what they are best at, to be the artist they want to be. That’s all I had to say . Thank you
— Anurag Kashyap (@anuragkashyap72) March 19, 2019
He doesn't see being a watchman as a "small job or big".
"At least, he is not begging. I genuinely believe that charity does not make art or an artiste. You want to help artistes like him then you need to start watching their art by paying for it."