Siddique on success and Salman

This man knows his craft well. He might be tongue-tied when it comes to Hindi, but was sharp enough to get the pulse of its people right. The way Siddique brought in subtle changes in the thread of 'Bodyguard' while adapting it to Bollywood, speaks volumes about his expertise.

But, talking to him you realise what makes him more worthy of a standing ovation is the way he wards off fame and success from going to his head. The simple and well-liked director speaks to Manoramaonline on 'Bodyguard' and much more.

Was success of such high proportions expected?
I was hopeful. But, this is an overwhelming experience, much beyond my wildest dreams. Within 6 days of its release, the film has reached the 100 crore mark. I am happy that my endeavour has been well-received. 'Kavalan' had to fight its way out. But, this time, I think the on-screen chemistry shared by Salman and Kareena proved to be decisive.

What is so special about 'Bodyguard'?
I would say it is the story. The thread of the story was unique and strong. It was fresh and romantic as well. In all the three versions, the main characters were played by popular actors. Bodyguard owes its success to its entire crew. However, I had made certain changes in the script each time. Producer Atul Agnihotri too gave me tremendous support.

The best among the three pairs?
Comparison is not fair. All three pair of actors are unique in their own ways. They were most suitable to that particular script. The treatment too was different in each case. All the three pairs performed brilliantly before the camera.

Homework?
I was confident about the subject. I had got many offers from Bollywood even before. But, I was relectant as I wanted to make my entry to Bollywood a memorable one. I was waiting for such a script to come my way. In this case, I knew from the beginning that Salman could bring this role to perfection. When he saw the Malayalam version, Salman too agreed to do it without a second thought.

Lovely Singh?
Salman was the most obvious choice for Lovely Singh's role. I don't think the film would have made it this big, if some other actor had performed in the lead role. Lovely Singh was one character that Salman's fans wanted to a see him as.

The Billion club?

I was literally flooded with congratulatory messages. Including Mammootty, almost all of them from the industry rang me up. Mammukka, who is more like an elder brother to me said that this success was a reward that God gave me for my hard work.

But, I will never distance myself from Mollywood. Many offers are coming.. I will go for the best ones.

How do you see this huge success?

Naturally, I am delighted. But no success, however big it may be, can ever change the person that I am. In fact, hits make me more responsible. With every superhit film, the burden of expectation also goes up.