From Student of the Year to Param Sundari: 13 Years of Sidharth Malhotra's Cinematic Journey

Mumbai, August 28 - Very few would have imagined the journey Sidharth Malhotra was going to have when he made his Bollywood debut with filmmaker Karan Johar's coming-of-age romantic comedy Student of the Year in 2012. Over the last 13 years, the actor has left a mark with films across romance, action, thrillers, and war drama genres. As he now gears up for his 2025 release, Param Sundari, here's a look at the highlights of his cinematic journey so far.

The Debut and Early Success

Filmmaker Karan Johar, famous for launching star kids in Bollywood, launched Sidharth alongside Alia Bhatt and Varun Dhawan in Student of the Year (2012), a youthful drama that became a commercial success and positioned him as a promising newcomer. He followed it up with Hasee Toh Phasee (2014), a quirky rom-com where his chemistry with Parineeti Chopra was appreciated, and Ek Villain (2014), which marked his entry into the big league.

Experimentation and Mixed Bag Phase

After the big early success, Sidharth tested different genres over the next few years. In Brothers (2015), he attempted a high-intensity sports drama with superstar Akshay Kumar, as the film ended up as an average affair. Kapoor & Sons (2016), however, turned out to be a critical and commercial hit, showcasing him in an ensemble with a layered family drama. Films like Baar Baar Dekho (2016), A Gentleman (2017), Ittefaq (2017), and Aiyaary (2018) received mixed to negative responses, making this a challenging period for the actor.

The Resurgence & Patriotic Turn

Sidharth bounced back with Marjaavaan (2019), a massy romantic action film with seetimaar dialogues that connected with single-screen audiences. It was the biographical war drama, Shershaah (2021), that could have become the biggest box office success of the actor, but it was denied that chance due to its direct-to-digital release. It was still a game-changer for the actor as his portrayal of Captain Vikram Batra won widespread acclaim, bringing him critical respect, as he was hailed for delivering his career-best performance.

Recent Works & Looking Ahead

Post-Shershaah, Sidharth ventured into diverse territories. He shared screen with Ajay Devgn in the fantasy comedy-drama film Thank God (2022), which bombed at the box office, before he starred in a direct-to-digital release, Mission Majnu (2023), a patriotic spy thriller, and Yodha (2024), a high-octane action film. The actor's journey after the COVID-19 pandemic has hit a roadblock with no big success, barring Shershaah, which saved the day for him.

The actor is now stepping into romantic comedy once again with Param Sundari (2025), co-starring Janhvi Kapoor. Billed as a breezy entertainer, the film is already generating buzz as a genre comeback for Sidharth after years of intense roles. The movie, from Dinesh Vijan's Maddock Films, is gearing up to hit the big screens on August 29, as a potential success for the actor.

Across 13 years, Sidharth Malhotra's cinematic journey has had highs and lows, but what stands out is his resilience and ability to reinvent himself. From the candy-floss romance of Student of the Year to the grit of Shershaah, and now towards the playful charm of Param Sundari, he continues to remain a relevant and evolving presence in Bollywood. Going forward, the actor continues to experiment, as his next is a folk thriller, Vvan: Force of the Forrest, which releases next year.

Stay tuned...