In an industry where a successful film can both make and trap an actor, Telugu actor Siddhu Jonnalagadda finds himself at a crossroads. The runaway success of 'DJ Tillu' and its sequel 'Tillu Square' - which earned Rs 140 crore at the box office - not only established him as a bankable star, but as a fresh voice of Telugu cinema. But it also threatened to typecast him as the wisecracking, irreverent anti-hero audiences had fallen in love with.

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His latest release, 'Telusu Kada', directed by Neerraja Kona, was an attempt to showcase his range - a complex, relationship-driven drama that received critical acclaim but struggled at the box office. In an exclusive chat with India Today Digital, the actor-writer reflected on the challenges of reinvention, the harsh realities of commercial cinema, the unique vulnerabilities of being an outsider, and what lies ahead in his career.

Breaking free from the Tillu shadow

For Siddhu Jonnalagadda, 'Telusu Kada' wasn't just another film - it was a film that challenged the industry perspective on him. After the massive success of 'DJ Tillu' and 'Tillu Square', the actor found himself trapped in an image he had created. 'Telusu Kada' changed that image.

"I think somewhere in the industry, there was probably an impression or an understanding that Tillu is something that he's deep into, and he can only be that. But for me personally, I always knew that there was more to me as an actor than just Tillu. And I was really eager to create that impression or, probably as an actor, get that validation from the audience or people. And I think that very, very successfully happened with this film," Siddhu shared.

The film allowed him to showcase a different