The MC Sher has arrived

To establish yourself as a strong, noticeable character when you have Ranveer Singh in the same frame, is not easy. Bollywood’s new heartthrob Siddhant Chaturvedi or as fans like to chant — MC Sher — has made a visible mark with his debut film Gully Boy. In the city to flag off a store launch, Siddhant was later seen partying and performing as MC Sher at a club till the wee hours. Fans thronged around him to get that one selfie and rapped along with him in  perfect sync. He doesn’t mince his words; talks about the castingcouch, nepotism and his next projects.

Excerpts from the tête-a-tête

QOvernight attention and
stardom! How does it feel?
It’s incredibly humbling. I am totally digging the attention. But my happiest moments are when I see my family soaking in my success as well. I love the trips and events, and I still keep sending selfies with the crowd from every event that I perform at. It’s absolutely unreal.

Q Your fairytale kicked off the day Zoya Akhtar noticed you at an after party of Inside Edge. It almost seems like a stroke of luck. So do you believe in luck?
Not really. I wouldn’t give luck all the credit. I was prepared to be in the right place at the right time. I believe that the harder I work, the luckier I get.

QBut casting in B’town is a grim process. As an outsider, did you get clawed into the couch too?
Sleazeballs are there, yes. And casting couch is not a myth. I have had very minor instances. Mostly kids from small towns who have to sustain themselves financially in Mumbai are preyed on. However, I have been fortunate enough for my family’s undying support — both emotionally and financially — and therefore was never forced to do something I did not want to.

QHow about nepotism?
Directors favouring certain people over talent only creates mediocrity. We have a sea of mediocre content because of nepotism. So when an outsider with legitimate talent steps in or gets one big role, he/she gets immediately noticed and sticks with the audience.

QGiven that you have worked with multiple A-listers in a critically and commercially successful movie, under a big banner, are you only going to choose movies that will break the B.O. ratings?
It has never been just about the money. But I am practical. My choice would definitely be a combination of a good script, stable banner and a commercially viable film. I am not keen on doing artistic indie movies. If I am looking for artsy, I will get a picture painted and hang it on a wall. But I definitely want to do a rom-com and action movies. In fact, I am signing up for an action film soon.

QThe female fan attention cannot be missed. So does real-life MC Sher also have a Jemma in his life?
Yes, I am seeing someone. She is from the industry but she’s not an actor. For the rest of the details, I’d like to keep it private.