Prolific actors Jyothika, Siddharth get candid about the rituals they follow the night before shooting a big scene

Artists Jyothika and Siddharth, beloved for their recent performances in Kaathal-The Core and Chittha respectively, got candid in a yearly, casual get-together with The Film Companion for their Actor’s Adda’s 2023 edition. The meeting saw a healthy lineup comprising the likes of Kareena Kapoor Khan, Tillotama Shome, Jaideep Ahlawat, Bobby Deol, Vikrant Massey, Jyothika, and Siddharth.

When host Anupama Chopra asked Jyothika if she had any “rituals” that she follows the night before a “big scene” or a particularly challenging one, it was right after Jaideep Ahlawat had confessed. He’d bashfully admitted to not talking to anyone on set on the first day of any project, and feeling nauseous and anxious till he was a few scenes in.

However, Jyothika had a different view of the matter, “Mine is an opposite story, because I work in a language which is not my, uh, own language, so I’ve always mugged my lines. So, by the time I am closer to the scene and the day, I’m confident because I have mugged it all.”

But she did agree with Ahlawat on one point, the jitters an actor gets on the morning of the shoot as when the camera rolls, none of them get to be their real selves. But as far as the night before is concerned, she has it covered.

Siddharth had a unique way of looking at the matter, though his night-before-a-big-scene-ritual is rather simple and traditional. He shared, “Um, principally, the night before I like to be with the script and just sit with it.”

Then he explained a normal but poignant observation of his, “I don’t understand big scene small scene, generally I don’t divide, I’m sure that’s common for a lot of us. It’s a scene.” Siddharth further alluded to Jyothika’s answer and concurred by saying that “what happens between action and cut is what all of us are eventually trying to live in.”

He explained his reasons for being thorough with the script as to not wanting to correct any performative error during its dubbing and not willing to be surprised by anything he has not diligently scrutinized or practiced for his character.

Siddharth chuckled while mentioning that he had never been such a dedicated student in school, but could definitely sleep well now, due to his own hard work and consistency. He even joked about being able to sleep anytime anywhere, even right there in the panel meet!