Mumbai, March 4 : Actor Sidhant, who is known for his work in the streaming series â??Jubileeâ?? and â??Freedom at Midnightâ??, has spoken about his roots from Jammu. He wondered if fiction could match up to what people of Kashmir have faced in reality.

For him, the stage may be Mumbai, but the soul is Jammu. Sidhant carries his roots not as nostalgia, but as an active creative inheritance, one where Jammu's proximity to Kashmir has quietly but powerfully informed the characters he has been drawn to, and been trusted with

Talking about the same, he said, "It's fascinating how two of my most prominent roles hailed from not too far from Jammu. To think of it, must have helped in being casted. My breakthrough role of Jay Khanna in â??Jubileeâ?? was from Karachi, which was a part of India then. And the recent role of the first Prime Minister of India, Pandit Jawahar Lal Nehru was born in Kashmir. We're obviously one stateâ??.

Growing up, visits to Kashmir left an indelible mark on him, ones that later translated into a more serious, studied engagement with the region's layered and painful history when he took on the role of Nehru.

He further mentioned, â??How I have cherished my visits to Kashmir growing up! But beyond that, I got to study and understand the trauma of Kashmir. I wonder if fiction will ever match up to the reality that people of Kashmir have livedâ??.

But perhaps, the most telling measure of Sidhant's relationship with his roots reveals itself in a far quieter, much simpler moment. When asked if there are times he feels most connected to where he comes from, his answer is immediate and instinctive.

"Yes, every time my performance is appreciated. I see smiling faces from back home flashing in my headâ??, he added.

/IANS