Siddharth Gupta reveals how playing Lord Krishna helped him battle ‘mental pandemic’ and find clarity: ‘When you prepare and play a character like Krishna, you get all your answers’

Actor Siddharth Gupta, who won hearts with his portrayal of Lord Krishna in this year’s box office surprise, ‘Krishnavataram: Part 1 – Hridayam’, says playing the deity became a deeply transformative experience for him. As the country celebrates Janmashtami, the actor opened up about how preparing for the role changed his perspective on life, helped him deal with personal struggles and left him with lessons that extend far beyond his performance.

Siddharth Gupta says becoming Krishna changed him

For Siddharth, the process of preparing to play Krishna had a greater impact on him than the act of portraying the character itself. Speaking to Hindustan Times, the actor said, “More than playing him, it is the process of becoming Krishna that has had a bigger influence.”While Siddharth was quick to acknowledge that he could never equate himself with the deity, he described Krishna as “a God and a thought process” whose teachings helped him find clarity during a difficult phase of his life.“We are in a mental pandemic, as a lot of people are going through mental issues in today’s time and age, and I was no different. I was also having difficulty coping up with the pace of life and where I am. But when you prepare and play a character like Krishna, you get all your answers,” he shared.

‘Karm kar, phal ki chinta mat kar’: Siddharth on his biggest takeaway

One of the most significant lessons Siddharth took away from playing Krishna was the philosophy of karma yoga. The actor said the role taught him to focus on the act of doing rather than becoming consumed by the outcome.“I ended up learning about how to be a karma yogi, learn the virtue of doing, and how to seek pleasure in the process and not the result. That’s one of my biggest learnings: ‘Karm kar, phal ki chinta mat kar’,” he said.Elaborating on the philosophy, Siddharth added, “It’s heard a lot, but to truly understand what it means is to truly practise it. It is easier said than done, but when you give your best, results really go out of the window because you did all that you could, and then you should never stress on the result. You should just stress on the process.”

Siddharth Gupta recalls fans seeing ‘God’ in him

Siddharth’s portrayal of Krishna also profoundly changed the way some audiences responded to him. Recalling his experiences during theatre visits after the film’s release, the actor said some fans struggled to separate him from the divine character he portrayed on screen.“We had some ethereal experiences during theatre visits where people legit saw God in me. I’ve been practical in life and thankfully mature enough to know that the love is for Him, not for me. But these things happened where people would see me before the screening and just walk past me,” he shared.He further recalled emotional reactions from audiences after the screenings.“And right after the show was over, I’d see men, women, who are doing great in their own lives, shaking, crying, and trying to touch my feet. That kind of sparkle in people’s eyes made me not see love for me but made me see Krishna in them and the love for Krishna that they have. The sense of respect they have for me has been unreal and different, and I’ve been very grateful for it,” Siddharth said.

Janmashtami brings back Siddharth’s childhood memories

Janmashtami has always held a special place in Siddharth’s life, with the festival being celebrated enthusiastically in his family while he was growing up. His childhood memories now feel particularly significant after having portrayed Krishna on screen.“We used to celebrate Janmashtami every year with full gusto while growing up. As kids, we used to create the idol of Krishna from wax and then paint on it. That used to become my daily routine. I have broken dahi handi as a kid in my colony because everybody thought I looked like Lord Krishna. It’s quite ironic that I ended up playing him,” he recalled.Playing Krishna has also given the festival a deeper meaning for the actor. Siddharth said, “Now I’m so much more informed about the relevance of the festival. It holds another importance for me. When you play Lord Krishna and Krishna himself has chosen you to do this, it feels like it’s your own day.”The actor revealed that his family has travelled to Mumbai to celebrate Janmashtami with him this year. “My house is filled with idols, and my family’s already come here. I do have plans of making the idol for Lord Krishna from clay and paint it myself. I also have an invitation for an event, and I’m hoping to attend that and celebrate it with the followers of Lord Krishna by playing dahi handi with them,” he concluded.

Siddharth Gupta’s ‘Krishnavataram: Part 1 – Hridayam’

‘Krishnavataram: Part 1 – Hridayam’ was released in theatres on May 7, 2026.