Exclusive - The 50's Sidharth Bharadwaj gets emotional remembering his difficult phase abroad; says 'When my show, Aafat, was released, Main 7-Eleven mein pocha maar raha tha'

Sidharth Bhardwaj, recently seen in 'The 50', opened up about some intense moments from his life. During an exclusive chat with Times of India TV, Sidharth got emotional while remembering his difficult phase abroad, where he drove a taxi and worked at a Seven Eleven store just to survive. (Photo: Instagram)

My journey on the show was very similar to how I live my life. I have never believed in living with fear just because of personal motives, like worrying about whether someone will vote for me or whether I will get another opportunity. I prefer to live freely and honestly for as long as I can. It may not have lasted very long, but it was meaningful. Many contestants stayed in the game longer than I did, but when they come out, even their audience will question what they actually did in the show because they simply followed others and became someone’s shadow. I am happy that I never played the game like that. (Photo: Instagram)

I consider myself very fortunate that God has given me the courage to do anything I truly want to do. I keep that passion and determination inside me. I remember when my show Aafat was released with Times. My posters and billboards were displayed everywhere. At the same time, I was working at a 7-Eleven, doing cleaning work. Main 7-Eleven mein pocha maar raha tha. A friend called me and said, “Your posters are everywhere here. Where are you?” At that moment, I felt confused and wondered what I was doing and why I was doing it. But deep inside, I knew I had to keep going. (Photo: Instagram)

The ex-girlfriend for whom I left my country once told me I could not achieve anything. That is why I felt even more determined to prove it. I did not think about whether I was famous in India or not. I simply focused on doing what I needed to do. Today, I feel very happy because I received my green card. I proved to myself that even after going so far away from my country, I could still build my own identity.(Photo: Instagram)

I am not someone who depends on others to give me opportunities. I went on their stage, spoke in their language, and performed stand-up comedy for them. I never made fun of my own country. If you watch my comedy, you will see that I spoke about them with excitement and respect. Many Indian stand-up comedians performing in English often make jokes about their own culture or accents, but I chose to joke about them instead. (Photo: Instagram)

Most of my audience there was made up of white and Black people, with very few Indians, and they enjoyed my shows. Many of my performances were houseful. I achieved this even while living far away from my country. Whether I was driving a taxi or working at a 7-Eleven, I still stood on that stage and performed. All of that hard work was necessary, because without it I would not have been able to stay there or continue performing. (Photo: Instagram)

Many people go to places like Los Angeles or New York, take photos in Times Square, and claim they met people in Hollywood and will soon work there. But the truth is, you cannot work there without proper documents. To get those papers, you have to stay there and work. First you receive a social permit, which is a work permit. Then your case continues, and after about one and a half to two years, you may receive a green card. (Photo: Instagram)

So what do you do during those one or two years? You have to work. I was not someone like Shah Rukh Khan who could go to Los Angeles and have a team arrange work for him. Priyanka Chopra could manage it because she had the money and backup. For someone like me, if I have a dream, I must be ready to work hard for it. That might mean driving a taxi or doing small jobs, but if I choose that dream, I also have to be ready to pay the price for it. (Photo: Instagram)