(Exclusive) Siddhant Chaturvedi: Anyone who empowers the common man is a superhero – Times of India

“When I was younger, I used to travel to my native place, Ballia (in Uttar Pradesh) a lot. On the way, I would buy Raj comics at the train station. Indian superheroes like Doga, Nagraj and super commando Dhruva became my heroes, before any of the rest came along” — Siddhant


Bombay Times Exclusive

Bombay Times took Siddhant Chaturvedi, a diehard fan of the superhero universe and comics, on a special tour of Mumbai Comic Con. The two-day pop culture event taking place this weekend in the city is a haven for comic book and superhero lovers of all ages. At the event, the actor lived it up to the T and spoke to us at length about his love for spectacle cinema, superhero powers, assembling his own dream team of Bollywood Avengers and more. Read on…
How excited are you to be here with us at Mumbai Comic Con?
I’m super excited because it’s been a while since I attended one. I came here years ago with my brother who’s a huge Marvel fan. The energy and frenzy is bringing back a lot of memories from my college days.

You are a superhero fanboy. Who have been your favourite superheroes over the years?
I’m a big fan of the X-Men series… especially Wolverine. I used to watch its animated series after school every day. Another favourite is Batman, I love the series Batman of the Future. I am waiting for DC to make a film on that soon.

Take us through your childhood memories — to the time your fascination for superheroes and comics began…
When I was younger, I used to travel to my native place, Ballia (in Uttar Pradesh) a lot. On the way, I would buy Raj comics at the train station. Indian superheroes like Doga, Nagraj and super commando Dhruva became my heroes, before any of the rest came along. I still have a collection of these comic books and they are my most prized possessions and memories. I also have a soft corner for Shaktimaan. If given an opportunity, I would love to play masked vigilante Doga on screen. It’s my childhood dream. I am also drawn to Chakra from the Marvel universe, who’s an Indian character. I’m hoping that they make a film on him, and cast an Indian actor.

If you were to possess a super power, what would that be?
I would love to be blessed with the power of teleportation! Imagine the time I will save and as you know, time is money. If I have that power, I can do far more things simultaneously. Probably do several film projects at the same time and also travel to my favourite places.

If you were to assemble your dream team of Bollywood Avengers, which actors would you choose?
This is interesting. I would love to see Shah Rukh Khan as Iron Man. He’s suave, witty, charming and after Pathaan, he can actually invest in making his own Iron Man suit! (laughs). Hrithik Roshan will be great as Captain America given his physique, agility and looks. Sunny Deol would be solid as the Hulk. He’d smash and smash, because he can give the Hulk a run for his money with his dhai kilo ka haath. Katrina Kaif would be perfect as the Black Widow because she’s one of the fittest people ever. She’s agile and her moves will knock out the enemies. John Abraham can be Thor. Everyone knows why. He’s the only one who’s worthy of playing that part.

Superhero films are dominating the big screens globally. What do you think has been the reason for its longevity and massive success over the years?
I think technology has played a huge part. These films have been able to convincingly immerse the audience with its visual effects and storylines that aren’t limited in scope. It’s opened a whole new dimension, the multiverse and crossovers. You’re giving the audience an escape unlike anything done before. The characters are interesting. The comics have a huge recall value and being able to see that material come alive on screen is any fan’s dream come true. The viewer is able to identify
with these superheroes because they’re also portrayed as being human, which makes them more relatable.

We have our own homegrown Krrish and Brahmastra now. Do you want to see an Indian superhero gain global recognition too?Our heroes and stories are no less. Anyone who empowers the common man is a superhero and our actors and crusaders do that everyday without costumes or gadgets. It’s all about the power of love.