In an industry where star power often outweighs merit, the struggles of outsiders continue to echo. Actor Siddharth Nigam’s journey is the latest reminder. His mother has now revealed that Siddharth was originally in line to debut in Azaad—until he was replaced by star kids Aaman Devgan and Rasha Thadani.In conversation with Instant Bollywood, Siddharth’s mother opened up about the challenges of being an outsider in the film industry, highlighting a personal experience with Azaad. She shared that Siddharth was initially considered for the film and even had the script narrated to him. However, after waiting for nearly two years, they discovered through a poster that the movie had been made—with Ajay Devgn’s nephew Aaman Devgan and Raveena Tandon’s daughter Rasha Thadani in the lead. She admitted it was a tough moment, especially as a mother, and felt the final casting decision may have been influenced by the star lineage of the newcomers.Siddharth also reflected on the situation, acknowledging the realities of the industry. Without placing blame, he shared that it’s part of the business, and those involved likely had their own reasons for the decision. For him, it was more about the emotional toll—waiting with hope for a year, only to find out through the teaser that someone else had been cast. In the end, he said, it became a moment of quiet acceptance and simply moving on.The period action drama, directed by Abhishek Kapoor and produced by Ronnie Screwvala and Pragya Kapoor, marked the debut of Aaman Devgan and Rasha Thadani, starring alongside Ajay Devgn and Diana Penty. Despite the high-profile cast and production, the film opened to mixed-to-negative reviews and failed to make a mark at the box office, earning just Rs 8 crore worldwide.
