A year after the blockbuster success of Tillu Square, Siddhu Jonnalagadda is back on the big screen with Jack, a Telugu film that he says will retain the humour audiences now associate with him while staying true to its larger dramatic purpose. The film, written and directed by Bhaskar of Bommarillu fame, is set for release on April 10 and marks a notable shift for Siddhu, who says it is the first project in nearly a decade in which he has not been involved as a co-writer, co-editor or creative producer.
For the actor, that change was less a loss of control than a rare chance to breathe. "It was a relief," Siddhu says, describing the experience of stepping back from the multiple responsibilities he has typically carried on his projects. He admits there were "a few withdrawal symptoms" at first, but says he gradually learned to enjoy focusing on acting alone. "These days, it is rare to not be doing something all the time. I am reminded of an interview where Diljit Dosanjh said he enjoys taking a break by doing absolutely nothing. That's the best way to reset and refresh."
That does not mean Siddhu has been idle. Away from Jack, he and his friend and director Ravikanth Perepu have been busy completing three scripts, with more stories already lined up. The actor's comments suggest that while Jack gave him a break from his usual behind-the-scenes workload, he has not stepped away from the creative process altogether.
Much of the attention around Jack has centred on whether Siddhu's trademark humour will dominate the film. Since his hyperlocal one-liners in DJ Tillu and Tillu Square turned him into one of Telugu cinema's most recognisable comic voices, audiences have come to expect a certain rhythm from his performances. Siddhu is aware of that expectation, but says the film has been designed carefully so that the humour does not overwhelm the story. "People expect me to deliver fun lines, so Bhaskar sir and I decided not to take that away completely. I don't want to shock the audience by suddenly becoming too serious or silent. At the same time, I am mindful of not getting stuck in that image," he says. "Jack deals with larger issues, and while there's humour, it doesn't dilute the core of the story."
That balancing act appears to be central to how Siddhu is thinking about his career at this stage. He says he now understands why some actors, when they were struggling, used to turn down roles that did not fit their image. "When I was a struggling actor, I used to read about actors turning down films because they didn't suit their image. I understand their point of view now," he says. Still, he is eager to keep expanding his range. One of his upcoming projects, Telusu Kada, directed by Neeraja Kona, is described by him as an intense romantic drama, signalling a move into a different emotional register.
In Jack, Siddhu's character is named Pablo Neruda, a detail he says adds a layer of curiosity and quirk to the film. According to him, the name comes from the character's mother, who is a fan of the Chilean poet and names her son after him. "When Bhaskar sir told me this, I found it interesting," Siddhu says. "A lot of youngsters today might know Pablo Escobar, but not the poet, so it might spark some curiosity."
The actor's rise has been shaped by a series of distinct turning points. Krishna and His Leela, which released directly on digital platforms during the lockdown, was a breakthrough that established him as both a co-writer and performer. But it was Tillu that transformed him into a household name, making his dialogue-heavy, fast-talking style a signature. With Jack arriving after two Tillu films, Siddhu says he does not see the release as a test of whether he can move beyond that identity. "Not at all. Every film is a new test," he says with a smile.
That same talkative energy carries into Jack, where his character is again dialogue-heavy. In one scene from the trailer, the character even jokes about talking too much, a line Siddhu says was improvised on set. He explains that the moment works because the humour grows out of irritation: "The opponent delivers a long monologue, which irritates my character — and that frustration comes out through humour."
Jack also reunites Siddhu with Bhaskar, with whom he had earlier worked in a brief role in the 2010 film Orange. This time, however, the dynamic was different. "Back then, Charan anna (Ram Charan) would have had detailed discussions with Bhaskar. This time, as the lead, we spoke a lot. It is important to understand the director's vision when you are driving the story," Siddhu says.
For Siddhu, then, Jack is not just another release after a hit film. It is a chance to recalibrate, to test a different kind of collaboration, and to show that humour can coexist with narrative weight. In an industry where actors are often boxed into the personas that made them popular, Jack may offer a useful answer: the joke can stay, as long as the story still lands.