🎤How does YouTube Music contribute to Sidhaant Karnick’s journey of mindfulness?

Sidhaant Karnick [00:00:00 - 00:00:10]

And that's the beauty of it, right? I can't say there is no mantra. I have to daily understand how and what I need to do to further my chances to getting the next shoot.

Taapsi Ramchandani [00:00:21 - 00:01:30]

Hello and welcome everyone to another episode of Down and Dirty, brought to you by Poocho, a research productivity tool to collect consumer feedback and then analyze that data at scale. I'm your host Taapsi and today I have with me someone who you've probably seen over the years on TV and movies, but I'm going to introduce him again just in case you need a refresher. This is Sidhaant Karnick. He's an old, old friend of mine. I'm so happy to have him on the show. He started his career with the TV show Remix, which I didn't know about, and has since gained popularity through shows like Mahi Way, which I do know about, and Pyaar Ki Yeh Ek Kahani. He's a versatile actor. He's portrayed a set of diverse characters and most recently, or rather most famously, his most recent movie is Animal, where you must have seen him. I thought that movie was incredible. I don't know what all the issues were around. I mean, I know the issues around it, but I thought it was a great movie and Sidhaant, you were amazing in it. Beyond acting, he's involved in theatre and is passionate about exploring various aspects of performance arts, and he's also a biker, which you can see from all his amazing gear behind him. Sidhaant, welcome to the show.

Sidhaant Karnick [00:01:31 - 00:01:55]

Thank you so much, Taapsi. This is just, it's so good you're doing this and thank you for having me over. It's a special honor as well. I've always admired, you're such a smart girl, you know, and I've been speaking to different people about a good podcast person and you are it. And I'm hoping you would be way better than even Joe Rogan with this episode.

Taapsi Ramchandani [00:01:55 - 00:02:00]

Okay, stakes are not high at all. I can easily do this.

Sidhaant Karnick [00:01:59 - 00:02:01]

No expectations.

Taapsi Ramchandani [00:02:00 - 00:03:01]

No, no, no pressure, no pressure. So Sidhaant, you know, the reason I wanted, I was very excited to have you on is because I believe that there's a side to you that people may not know about. They are familiar seeing you on screen, obviously, and they have some sense of who Sidhaant might be. You know, checked out your interviews online, followed you. But we know very little about your digital life. What do you do online? You know, what keeps you going? What do you have on your phone? Like, what apps do you touch, you know, that you like? So I thought that this would be a good opportunity for me to unpack some of that with you. And, you know, and that's what this episode is going to be about. But before we get into any of that, where I want to start with is a day in your life now. So as of, if you had to just take last week as an example, because I'm sure day to day changes for an actor. What is an average day in your life? In this, at this juncture?

Sidhaant Karnick [00:03:00 - 00:04:18]

There is no average and that's what I love being an actor. Every day is so different. You asked me in my last week, I just had a flash of all the things that have happened. So A, the life of an actor is not average. B, the life of mine is definitely not above average, for sure. And it's because I’m a, I don't like to call it a restless soul, but I'm a seeking soul. So I'm always out and about trying to do something, learn something, experience something. So I don't have, but if I was to largely say to answer your question, the daily routine, it would be to wake up at 7.30, go for a badminton workout, have a steam, have a shower, a big, heavy breakfast. This is the day I'm not shooting. A big fluffy omelette to nourish me and get me going. Coffee, boom, get all my emails done, all that logistic work in the morning done. So I'm done by afternoon. By afternoon, then when I'm back home, depending on how I'm feeling, I take calls, meetings or some things, read through scripts, take a nap, very depending on the mood. By evening, I do some riyaz and by night I'm off to sleep after watching a movie. 

Taapsi Ramchandani [00:04:18 - 00:04:20]

What time do you go to bed?

Sidhaant Karnick [00:04:20 - 00:04:29]

Very depending on the movie I'm watching. But usually I've noticed by about 12 I'm asleep. I need like some nice solid seven hours of sleep.

Taapsi Ramchandani [00:04:30 - 00:04:33]

Yeah, 12 to 7, 7.30 sounds pretty solid.

Sidhaant Karnick [00:04:32 - 00:04:33]

Mmm, mmm.

Taapsi Ramchandani [00:04:33 - 00:04:52]

Yeah, so what are these, you know, now you've already teased the conversation by saying, you know, I know one day is normal. I'm constantly pushing myself. Now, you've got to give me some examples of what are these things that you're doing outside of, you know, just regular checking your mail and reading scripts.

Sidhaant Karnick [00:04:43 - 00:06:21]

If it's a weekend and I've got the itch to ride, then I put on one of the suits at the back, the one on the right, that's my all-terrain suit and I take my motorcycle and ride out and that is also part of the process of being an actor for me because I've noticed that especially when I get deep into a character, I need to come back to hit neutral and getting on the motorcycle allows me to ground myself to come back to that neutral. And I've noticed it's not just for, I mean, I used to earlier give this bahana to mom and say it's part of my process. But it's also when the city gets the better of me, you know, when I'm feeling edgy and, you know, it just needs that one tool to ground me. So that is when I get the motorcycles out. When I don't have that kind of time and luxury, then I'm a petrol head. So I have, and I recently acquired a beautiful car. It's a 1982 Mercedes W123. It comes in the classic vintage category and just sitting in that car and just driving it in this, when there is no traffic in those spaces. And again, that kind of grounds me. So I think being a petrol head really helps me to deal with a lot of the, I don't want to say stress, but the pace of Bombay, which might not necessarily suit my rhythm.

Taapsi Ramchandani [00:06:23 - 00:06:28]

So when you are driving, either the car or riding your bike, are you usually leaving the city? Is that what you mean?

Sidhaant Karnick [00:06:28 - 00:06:51]

Yes, most definitely, most definitely, not within the city, unless it's like an early Sunday morning and then I'm going to town and back and there's no traffic. The traffic is part of that energy which is around, you know, you see people just like not even a second to spare, they're honking, they just want to do this, you know, this contactless martial art, bumper car sport that's happening. It's too stressful, man.

Taapsi Ramchandani [00:06:52 - 00:07:01]

Okay, so you're out of the city, like if you have a down day or you need to unwind, ground yourself, like you said, you're bouncing out of Bombay.

Sidhaant Karnick [00:07:01 - 00:07:29]

Yes, and living out of myself. I think anything that allows me to experience life and to live outside of myself, gives me that grounding. And Mother Nature is the best, most wonderful, wonderful medium to channelize that for myself. There's music as well, for those little times in between where I want to just zone out. Yeah, not zone in, zone out. Music helps me with that.

Taapsi Ramchandani [00:07:31 - 00:07:58]

I imagine the actor's life is, I mean, not only unpredictable, but like you said, it can be pretty pacey because of this unpredictableness, right? Like sometimes you're here, sometimes you're there. Maybe a shoot got cancelled, maybe a shoot got pushed up and you've got to be prepared. How would you encapsulate yourself as an actor? If you had to say in third person, Sidhaant as an actor is someone who...

Sidhaant Karnick [00:07:55 - 00:10:05]

Mmm. It's a great question and I'd like to tell the audience that we're not always actors. In fact, we're hardly actors in the year. We're shooting very little of the time actually. Work for an actor is not the shooting part. Work for an actor is to get the work, to get the next shoot. A lot of time, energy, everything is spent to get the next shoot. When the shoot is happening, we're in la-la land. This is what we've prepared for. This is what all that is and then coming together and in that shooting environment, that's a holiday for me to be very honest. But it's the other times where we are truly working to get the work. So that takes up a lot of time, unpredictability. Suddenly, you don't know whether somebody who you had to meet has cancelled or suddenly they are free or figuring out who to meet, how to go about meeting them, channelizing. I don't know. It's so and that's the beauty of it, right? I can't say there is no mantra. I have to daily understand how and what I need to do to further my chances to getting the next shoot. Because it's not, I mean, I've been part of a hit film, a super hit film, so they say. And yet things really haven't changed in terms of trajectory of commercial films coming to me. And that is the nature of the industry that we are in. So to first break that thing, because I worked 20 years. And there was a saying that there is a lottery system in our industry. But unfortunately, or fortunately, for me, it's not happened yet. And I'm slowly believing, slowly leaving that belief of that lottery system in our thing, and that it's just daily work that you put in. And then finally, it does pay off in a more stable trajectory. Because lottery can have a crazy graph up and then a crazy graph down as well. 

Taapsi Ramchandani [00:10:05 - 00:10:07]

Absolutely.

Sidhaant Karnick [00:10:05 - 00:10:13]

So this seems in at least maybe I'm trying to make my peace with this pace, this journey that okay, it's slow but steady.

Taapsi Ramchandani [00:10:16 - 00:10:26]

So, keeping this in mind, what you just shared about the fact that most of this is work off-screen in order to get the work on-screen.

Sidhaant Karnick [00:10:24 - 00:10:25]

Yes.

Taapsi Ramchandani [00:10:26 - 00:10:30]

Now tell me, with this context in mind, who is Sidhaant as an actor?

Sidhaant Karnick [00:10:27 - 00:11:49]

A curious, adventure-seeking personality who is very fortunate to be in a profession which allows him to explore all these inherent qualities of the self. And in the profession of being an actor, I live so many different lives, I meet so many different people, I get to talk with wonderful people like yourself, Taapsi, which I might not have had I probably not been an actor. The respect that I get of being an actor, it's so, respect is very inherently important for me and I realized this when I was growing up, my father was in the army and in India at least, there's immense respect for people in the army, immense respect, right, wherever you go, there is, people just take a back step and say, okay, you know, give you that. And I've noticed the same with being an actor, they might never, and this is like in the grassroot places where I ride off to, they might never have seen my work as well. They know, you're an actor and suddenly, you know, that respect changes. And I love that. I work for respect more than the fame or money or anything, it's respect.

Taapsi Ramchandani [00:11:50 - 00:12:23]

So, you know, I'll unpack this a little bit more. If a lot of the work of an actor is getting the work, which absolutely makes sense, let's go back to your day that you described a day in your life, your average day, whatever that means. And tell me, sprinkle in this context of the fact that you're trying to get work. So how does that figure in? You mentioned you check your emails. Is that where some conversations are happening? Or how are you actually working the system to get work in a day?

Sidhaant Karnick [00:12:22 - 00:12:27]In terms of mediums, then it's your phone and WhatsApp, which is the first thing I check.Taapsi Ramchandani [00:12:28 - 00:12:29]

Yeah.

Sidhaant Karnick [00:12:29 - 00:12:57]

Calls, reminders, I've set that other people have said, oh, call me in August or call me, let's do a meeting in September. I'm busy right now. So like checking the calendar. I have a wonderful team. Blue Buzz is on board in terms of PR and managing my work as well. So now there is not just me in this journey. I have a team involved and they help me out not just in managing the work, but seeking out the right people for whatever is to come out of it.

Taapsi Ramchandani [00:12:53 - 00:12:53]

Yeah.

Sidhaant Karnick [00:12:57 - 00:13:10]

There is no method to this madness. Then sitting down and also visualizing, you know, and putting it out in the universe, that's so important, manifesting that. 

Taapsi Ramchandani [00:13:10 - 00:13:20]

How do you do that? Do you have a whiteboard? Or are you writing? Are you journaling? Like, what is your way of...

Sidhaant Karnick [00:13:16 - 00:13:20]

There is a whiteboard, I don't know if you can see the end of the screen, there is a whiteboard which is a manifestation chart, I use visual cues, I sit and daydream sometimes, you know, when its too much of all this, you should do this, right, this, then just sit and daydream and and actualize that thing and I learned this after I procured the W123, my car, my vintage car, you know, yeah, it was solidified, the concept of manifestation. Like I said, I'm a petrol head and I'll take a lot of life's learnings through vehicles, cars, motorcycles, and the process of procuring this car, which is a very rare car in the condition as well that I was able to get it in, it was nothing short of manifestation and how I got it. So I decided to break down the methods of that and apply the same principles on life as well and what I really want, which is intangible and bring some sort of a my mantra or my method to that manifestation.

Taapsi Ramchandani [00:14:19 - 00:14:21]

And can you share?

Sidhaant Karnick [00:14:20 - 00:14:25]

No, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no. Hey. come on, you have to find your own mantra.

Taapsi Ramchandani [00:14:21 - 00:14:30]

No, no, no. Okay, okay, okay. No, no, no. Fair enough, fair enough, fair enough. Okay, no problem. I was just testing the water.

Sidhaant Karnick [00:14:31 - 00:14:33]

For that, you have to come on to my OnlyFans page.

Taapsi Ramchandani [00:14:37 - 00:14:53]

That's it. That's what I needed. That's exactly what I needed. That's why I'll come on, for your manifestation. Not for anything else. Just for those insights.

Sidhaant Karnick [00:14:48 - 00:14:50]

For my ‘Man’ifestation.

Taapsi Ramchandani [00:14:53 - 00:15:09]

So all right. So you have some manifestation process that you do as part of the day. You're obviously using, you're keeping track of, you know, people you need to follow up with, as any professional would do, because these are leads, these are business leads.

Sidhaant Karnick [00:15:07 - 00:15:08]

Yes.

Taapsi Ramchandani [00:15:09 - 00:15:17]

Are you using things like Google Calendar? Or you have a Mac, I know. So are you using Apple Calendar for?

Sidhaant Karnick [00:15:16 - 00:15:34]

I have tried Google Calendar and I fail miserably at it and that's one thing I consciously I'm not doing and I noticed this because for example with my navigation I use GPS all the time, every time.

Taapsi Ramchandani [00:15:35 - 00:15:35]

Yeah.

Sidhaant Karnick [00:15:35 - 00:15:57]

And as a result my memory skills in terms of direction is reduced because there's so much dependency on that. I'm not applying my mind okay figure this this how we used to before Google came around right and then I figured okay I really need this because it saves time but Google Calendars maybe I can do without and just try to remember

Taapsi Ramchandani [00:15:54 - 00:15:54]

Yeah.

Sidhaant Karnick [00:15:57 - 00:16:02]

that way I'm keeping my memory engaged rather than on the outside 

Taapsi Ramchandani [00:16:02 - 00:16:05]

Wow, so follow-ups and all, you just, it's memory?

Sidhaant Karnick [00:16:05 - 00:16:07]

Yes, it's in my head, unless it's in WhatsApp.

Taapsi Ramchandani [00:16:07 - 00:16:08]

Wow.

Sidhaant Karnick [00:16:08 - 00:16:24]

and also things you have to do in the day. It's here and I try to keep it here till as much as I can because it's like a muscle you don't use will go away and the smartphone is making us dumber.

Taapsi Ramchandani [00:16:25 - 00:16:41]

Yeah, okay, all right. So that means there must not be, so what is the kind of, what stuff are you touching digitally in a day if you're only doing it for the bare minimum is what it seems like, you know, like if it saves you time or you have to do it, you know, because WhatsApp is where

Sidhaant Karnick [00:16:40 - 00:16:41]

Yes.

Taapsi Ramchandani [00:16:41 - 00:16:50]

conversations are happening. You're not using calendar for your reminders, your networking is happening through phone calls or physical meetings or WhatsApp messages, right? 

Sidhaant Karnick [00:16:49 - 00:16:49]

Yes.

Taapsi Ramchandani [00:16:50 - 00:17:02]

Script reading, obviously it's physical scripts, so you're there. Is there, if I had to ask you to open up your phone, what are some go-to apps, like are there things other than WhatsApp?

Sidhaant Karnick [00:17:02 - 00:17:39]

Yes, and this is also I've had it such that you know your placement is tak- tak. I'm not scrolling through because I know I have to be efficient and I will tell you also I try to be off this as much as possible. Ah, okay. I am not, I am deliberately trying to disconnect. All my notifications are off. It's a black screen. Nothing comes up except a phone call and it's a black brick that I carry because this thing is taking over our lives and if like you, you've been watching Social Dilemma and all these things where you understand there are hundreds of engineers.

Taapsi Ramchandani [00:17:39 - 00:17:40]

Black Mirror.

Sidhaant Karnick [00:17:41 - 00:17:48]

are paid to make sure that I am hooked on to this and as a creative person this is really bad for me. Yeah.

Sidhaant Karnick [00:17:50 - 00:18:05]

Christopher Nolan in one interview said he also doesn't carry a smartphone. It's one of those old neil type phones. 

Taapsi Ramchandani [00:17:58 - 00:18:00]

The flip phone.

Sidhaant Karnick [00:18:06 - 00:18:12]

And he says boredom is the beginning of creativity. A phone doesn't allow us to be bored. It distracts us and I've also gone through

Taapsi Ramchandani [00:18:06 - 00:18:06]

Yeah.

Sidhaant Karnick [00:18:12 - 00:18:41]

those countless hours of Instagram scrolling and I don't come out of inspired. I don't come out of it entertained. I come out of it consumed. I don't feel good after those hours of scrolling and I realize okay bas ho gaya. In fact my Instagram app which I am addicted to, I keep changing the position. So I don't quickly access it when I need to. Then I'm like do I really need this or is it a habit?

Taapsi Ramchandani [00:18:42 - 00:18:47]

That's an amazing hack. I'm going to try that. I'm going to change where it is on my phone.

Sidhaant Karnick [00:18:44 - 00:19:06]

Yeah, exactly. Because look, I've realized there are hundreds of very well-paid, best-in-the-world engineers doing their job to get me hooked on this phone. It's already a battle I've lost. Within that, I can only just about reduce my screen time by doing these things.

Taapsi Ramchandani [00:19:05 - 00:19:07]

Yeah, yeah, yeah, yeah.

Sidhaant Karnick [00:19:06 - 00:19:18]

Even that Instagram reminder of you've spent too much time on Instagram, when I'm in the zone, I just say, okay, whatever, and I carry on. I've never listened to it.

Taapsi Ramchandani [00:19:18 - 00:19:55]

In anthropology, there's this framework of agency and structure. Structure is the thing in which we operate. Instagram is the structure. Social media is the structure in which we operate. And then agency is your ability to maneuver in that structure. What can you do? You can't break the structure. Structure is too big. You're part of the structure. But what can you do to have some sense of control and ownership and power in that structure? So it feels like simply moving the location of your Instagram app is saying, Hey, I have some power.

Sidhaant Karnick [00:19:56 - 00:19:59]

Yeah, exactly. David versus Goliath.

Taapsi Ramchandani [00:19:59 - 00:20:07]

Yeah, exactly. So other than Instagram, are there any other of these sucky apps, the ones that have hooked you in?

Sidhaant Karnick [00:20:09 - 00:21:56]

No, I'm not on Snapchat, social medias, they're really, no, I try to keep off it. Instagram, I have to, yeah, because also my industry is based on that. I get a lot of my news, I've stopped reading newspapers. There is no outside event, knowledge coming into me through news, because it's solidly depressing. The first thing I used to wake up and I'm reading all these bad things happening across the world. I'm like, bro, what is this man? Like, I know it's being selfish and not being aware. Like at that time, it would be ignorance. I would live my life through ignorance. Here through social media, I am selecting the topics which I want to be interested in or have knowledge about. And then go through that until that affects me directly. I know it's being a little selfish, but there is just so much information out there. I can't possibly take it all in and maintain a level of sanity for myself. And these are the little things I do selfishly. I won't say selfishly, selflessly. Because the distinction between the two is selfish is you're doing something for yourself at the cost of somebody else. And selfism is I'm doing something for myself, not at the cost of somebody else. So between that I prefer being selfism. That's a motorcycle philosophical terminology that we bikers use, but it's related to life. The motorcycle monk talks about life on the road and the life here as well and how to deal with the lessons of life on road in life. I'm done.

Taapsi Ramchandani [00:21:57 - 00:22:00]

Wow, that just sounded like it's the beginning or an ending of an ad.

Sidhaant Karnick [00:22:01 - 00:22:03]

Welcome to my TED Talk.

Taapsi Ramchandani [00:22:04 - 00:22:59]

You know what's so interesting, Sidhaant, so far in this conversation, whether you intended to or not, it has veered in the direction of finding self, right? And what does it mean to find self, whether it is checking out of Instagram, which is the most recent thing we talked about, but cell phones in general, you bouncing out of Bombay, right? When you can to find yourself. Motivation, manifestation, all inward looking activities, right? And it's kind of interesting that everything, whether it's a day in your life, or it is your hobbies, your skills, or your work and how you work, or how you consume content, it all has that ring to it of being introspective.

Sidhaant Karnick [00:22:55 - 00:23:00]

Okay.

Taapsi Ramchandani [00:22:59 - 00:23:17]

And so my next question is, what else are there other things that you do, as part of this introspective journey, where other enablers in your environment that allow you to look inward, you mentioned boredom, which is great, it's not even an enabler, it's just not doing anything.

Taapsi Ramchandani [00:23:17 - 00:23:22]

You know, is great for that introspection. Are there other things that you do for connecting?

Sidhaant Karnick [00:23:19 - 00:23:19]

Hmm. Definitely.

Taapsi Ramchandani [00:23:22 - 00:23:23]

Like?

Sidhaant Karnick [00:23:23 - 00:25:06]

Yes, connecting with my friends, with people, to reflect on the days going on, getting their perceptions on it, hearing their life stories, and understanding their thought processes. And these are the group of people who you get inspired from. I have been a lot more aware to reduce that circle down to those who are inspiring me and I'm learning something from, as opposed to those who are consuming my energy. That's very important. It's being not selfish again, it's being protecting oneself, you know, because even good intentioned people can take away. And as much as you're trying there to help, if they're not doing the actions, there's no point over there. So then hang around performers, you know, beautiful people, and performers not necessarily in careers, but just people who are alive and living life to the max. That's what I resonate with. So just reflecting off them helps me in this dimension also. Working out, working out is a great way to understand the self through the body. And I think, you know, it's lovely you've asked this question, because now relating being an actor also helps me in understanding myself better. I can only play a character, I'm seeking a character all the time. So therefore, before that, I need to seek myself and understand who I am right now, as opposed to an older narrative, which we hold on to ourselves, right, because we are ever evolving and changing. So, and that's why I love, I was telling a friend of mine,

Taapsi Ramchandani [00:25:02 - 00:25:04]

Correct.

Sidhaant Karnick [00:25:06 - 00:25:27]

that's why I love doing theatre as well, because unlike in cinema, where once you perform it is on celluloid and forever that is it. Every time you watch it will always the same. But theatre is so different, ever-evolving because every time I come back to playing the character, I have changed and therefore the way I play the character has changed.

Taapsi Ramchandani [00:25:25 - 00:25:26]

Yeah, that’s true, that’s true.

Sidhaant Karnick [00:25:27 - 00:25:56]

And that's why that's true with others also. They come with a different perspective of life. They're playing the character different now and then the two characters have a different interaction and relationship and then the energy shifts, changes and it's always evolving. That's the beauty of theater. That's why I love doing theater as well, which again is a very big self- explanatory tool because the characters genuinely come out from the inside as opposed to on script and then I'm finding myself in there.

Taapsi Ramchandani [00:25:57 - 00:26:13]

Yeah, so working out, biking, talking to friends, being bored, these are all ways in which you have been consciously or unconsciously aware of self as part of the process.

Sidhaant Karnick [00:26:11 - 00:26:12]

Yes.

Taapsi Ramchandani [00:26:13 - 00:26:14]

You also mentioned…

Sidhaant Karnick [00:26:13 - 00:26:23]

There is another thing, if we are talking about it and you want a deep dive into it, there is this other, and I got this off a reel.

Taapsi Ramchandani [00:26:23 - 00:26:25]

Okay, silver lining.

Sidhaant Karnick [00:26:26 - 00:27:43]

Yeah, every year I put myself into a very uncomfortable situation physically, very unknown and by that like for example two years ago I took up surfing, I learned that for 10 days just again and when you take up any new skill initially it is miserable, you know it's suffering, it is yeah and I do it for the purpose of that because pain is the greatest teacher, suffering allows you to process that pain in that time and there are because I've put myself in a very uncomfortable situation when I come back to my taken for granted comfortable life, I am so much more appreciative of that things, this AC that I've put on is great when I was on trekking in Ladakh this year which was I've never done that since I'm a petrol head, I prefer wheels over feet, I went for a proper five-seven day trek in Ladakh against the elements and it's terrible, suffering. and I knew at that time that this is going to help me later on and I've come back so much more grateful, grounded because of these things. So I think the process is always on here. Gautam Buddha says, know thyself. That's way to enlightenment.

Taapsi Ramchandani [00:27:45 - 00:28:02]

You had mentioned music earlier as well. Is music a checking out? Are you doing it to remove the world? Or is it more about tapping into... You know, because music can be an enabler for so many.

Sidhaant Karnick [00:28:01 - 00:28:58]

That's a lovely question to ask. So first, in terms of, as you mentioned, what is the go-to apps that you have? YouTube Music Library, that's the one thing I use the most. That's on my phone. And I use music not to numb out, the volume of the music isn't to numb my brain out. If I'm doing that, then I know I'm trying to distract myself or escape from something. Music, I play also at a volume where it is like somebody else having a conversation. So it's not louder than my own thoughts. And if it's being played also amongst a group of people, it is a character within that who's also adding to the conversation and not taking over the conversation. You'd notice, that's why I don't like to go to pubs and all, they play the music so loud.

Taapsi Ramchandani [00:28:57 - 00:29:03]

I was just going to ask you, what do you think about pubs and clubs where the music is blaring?

Sidhaant Karnick [00:29:04 - 00:30:46]

We should reduce the music. Everybody's shouting. In any case, everyone's shouting because everybody wants to be heard, right? They don't allow themselves, anybody else to finish their sentence and they just jump in. And that's something that mixed with alcohol that gets even more overbearing, right? And that's why I prefer house parties, for example, where the music isn't dominating, where it just intimately more get to know somebody rather than just upar upar se. And I just don't like, I also, I'm also very, what's the word? I wouldn't say money minded, but I'm aware of my expenditures, right? An evening out to a nightclub or, you know, a drinking bar sort of a scene where I'm meeting the same friend would cost me about 5,000 rupees, whether that includes a few drinks and food. That same five grand would put fuel in my car where I can take the same friend and go for a drive and really get to know the person in my comfort of my zone and listening to my music and have nature. So, you know, and I used to do this earlier, early on when I didn't have enough money where everything, when the menu card was read from the right to the left, you know, and I used to choose based on that. Okay, I've got this money. Should I socialize? Do I be a Saturday night person? Or do I be a Sunday morning person? And I always selected inherently being Sunday morning and that 3,000 rupees would be okay. 1,500 rupees would be it for the fuel. 500 rupees would be for snacks. And I come back with a thousand and I feel so much better than that nightclub or Saturday night feel, you know, yeah.

Taapsi Ramchandani [00:30:47 - 00:31:01]

So, where does music fit in the day? Is it part of your workout routine? Is it part of your... when you're script... when you're reading your scripts, do you have like instrumental music playing in the background? Where does it fit into?

Sidhaant Karnick [00:31:01 - 00:31:05]

All throughout, all throughout, from when I wake up.

Taapsi Ramchandani [00:31:03 - 00:31:08]

Like walk me through it. Tell me from the time you wake up, what are you doing? You're turning on your music on your phone? Is that what's happening?

Sidhaant Karnick [00:31:08 - 00:31:27]

Alexa takes over then. Alexa plays my favorite songs, which is usually a string of Louis Armstrong or Norah Jones and you know that morning where it's about the sound of the vibe, you know, that I want to create the day with. So that just helps me with my coffee and just take that in.

Taapsi Ramchandani [00:31:27 - 00:31:30]

So you set the tone of the day with your music.

Sidhaant Karnick [00:31:30 - 00:32:10]

Yes, yes, absolutely. Okay. And I've never been an auditory person. It's something which has changed only recently. I've always been a visual, then kinesthetic and then auditory. But recently with the app, with the algorithms being set. Now, here's another thing, right? The algorithms have become so good, they are selecting music better than I can make a playlist for myself. Yes. And that has introduced me to so much new music, which I've liked. So I am all for algorithms. And that's why I've selected YouTube music. Algorithms are far better than even Spotify, for example, far more intuitive. 

Taapsi Ramchandani [00:32:10 - 00:32:12]

So you've tried both?

Sidhaant Karnick [00:32:11 - 00:32:24]

Yes, yes. SoundCloud, Spotify, all these things I've heard but YouTube Music just has the best algorithms. They are set by OpenAI. Google's taken them over so they've gone crazy.

Taapsi Ramchandani [00:32:23 - 00:32:24]

Crazy. Yeah, yeah.

Sidhaant Karnick [00:32:26 - 00:32:41]

So DJ Algorithms is in the house. I play one song and that genre is set and that allows me to... So if I'm getting ready, if I'm having a bath or a shower and I'm going for a meeting, I'll play a certain kind of music too, you know, which is...

Taapsi Ramchandani [00:32:41 - 00:32:42]

Yeah.

Sidhaant Karnick [00:32:42 - 00:32:57]

And yeah, that helps me to just set the rhythm for whatever activity I want to do. Then gymming is obviously another kind of music. Long drives would be another kind of music. 

Taapsi Ramchandani [00:32:57 - 00:33:09]

And in all of these, you're doing it to set the mood, like to get into a zone, whatever the zone is, whether it's an introspective zone, whether it is get- the-day-started zone, whether it is workout zone, right?

Sidhaant Karnick [00:33:09 - 00:33:13]

Yeah, If not even get into it and aid that zone.

Taapsi Ramchandani [00:33:14 - 00:33:31]

Where does this live? Does it live as an app? Is it YouTube, the app on your phone? Or is it your computer desktop that's up and on? I know you mentioned Alexa, that also has it. Is it… But how are you accessing your music?

Sidhaant Karnick [00:33:30 - 00:33:41]

On my phone. On my phone. Open, pop, face ID, pop, center screen, pop. That's my thing. It's the quickest way to get there.

Taapsi Ramchandani [00:33:32 - 00:33:45]

And what kind of headphones do you use?

Sidhaant Karnick [00:33:45 - 00:33:54]

No. I usually keep it on my speaker. I live alone, so I'm not intruding on anybody else.

Taapsi Ramchandani [00:33:54 - 00:33:55]

Yeah.

Sidhaant Karnick [00:33:54 - 00:34:04]

But if I'm out and I've got my airpods on with the noise cancellation specifically, so I can just... it's too much noise, too much.

Taapsi Ramchandani [00:34:05 - 00:34:08]

Yeah, yeah, yeah, yeah. Okay, so you know what?

Sidhaant Karnick [00:34:07 - 00:34:10]

Indians are noisy people inherently, so...

Taapsi Ramchandani [00:34:10 - 00:34:25]

Yeah, yeah. And there's traffic, there's everything. There's weather, rain, all of that stuff. So, I totally get it. Animals. Let's do a share screen because I'm curious about your genres. I want to know what does Sidhaant like to listen to?

Sidhaant Karnick [00:34:25 - 00:34:30]

I'll do that, but please, if something embarrassing pops up.

Taapsi Ramchandani [00:34:29 - 00:34:32]

I won’t judge, I won’t judge, I won’t judge.

Sidhaant Karnick [00:34:32 - 00:34:35]

And this is all algorithms doing their thing, it's not natural.

Taapsi Ramchandani [00:34:35 - 00:34:38]

Oh yeah, it's not you. There's no agency here at all. It's all the structure.

Sidhaant Karnick [00:34:39 - 00:34:51]

Yeah. Blame it on the big brother. Okay, share desktop. Okay, let's go there. Are you seeing the screen? 

Taapsi Ramchandani [00:34:51 - 00:34:53]

Yes, I am. I am.

Sidhaant Karnick [00:34:53 - 00:34:57]

There you go. That's what's up on...

Taapsi Ramchandani [00:34:56 - 00:35:03]

So you're actually not accessing this on your desktop, right? Actually, you're doing this on your phone.

Sidhaant Karnick [00:35:03 - 00:35:05]

Yes. Yes.

Taapsi Ramchandani [00:35:04 - 00:35:05]

Yes.

Sidhaant Karnick [00:35:05 - 00:35:09]

But because I think the subscription is there and it's the same account, I would imagine, it's been picked up.

Taapsi Ramchandani [00:35:10 - 00:35:12]

Sure.

Sidhaant Karnick [00:35:12 - 00:35:26]

but let me let me do this let me this is my desktop let me open my phone and see what window comes up it's a good way to experiment then if it's on key. Oh no completely different artists, yeah.

Taapsi Ramchandani [00:35:23 - 00:35:28]

What, wow, I had no idea that it's different. Even though it's your same account, same profile picture.

Sidhaant Karnick [00:35:28 - 00:35:35]

Exactly. That's crazy. Haina.

Taapsi Ramchandani [00:35:31 - 00:35:34]

Oh, that is crazy. I didn't know that.

Sidhaant Karnick [00:35:37 - 00:35:39]

It's so different.

Taapsi Ramchandani [00:35:37 - 00:35:49]Okay, so wait one second. Maybe we're in a different tab. Is it the home tab on your phone as well? Because right now you're in the home tab on the left, but there's also explore and library. So I don't know.Sidhaant Karnick [00:35:49 - 00:35:52]

Okay, yeah, this is the home tab. This is my home tab.

Taapsi Ramchandani [00:35:52 - 00:35:55]

Wow! I didn't know it would be different.

Sidhaant Karnick [00:35:55 - 00:36:22]

You know and this is of the music I play when I'm so mellow indie or this is like working music lo-fi loft, cloudy DR&B there's nothing yeah this is all my when I'm expecting calls on my phone and I want to take that so I don't play it off my phone i'm playing it off the desktop uh these are the songs I usually play so that it's not intrusive in yeah.

Taapsi Ramchandani [00:36:22 - 00:36:30]

Yeah. Dude, your vibe in music is just like my vibe in music. Like, that's insane.

Sidhaant Karnick [00:36:28 - 00:36:29]

Oh yeah?

Taapsi Ramchandani [00:36:33 - 00:36:41]

That's so funny. Okay, all right. So, yeah, okay, so this is your desktop and what's on your phone?

Sidhaant Karnick [00:36:37 - 00:36:45]

Yeah. Okay, so this would be ‘Listen again’, would probably be the one, yeah.

Taapsi Ramchandani [00:36:45 - 00:36:51]

So this is a repeat of what you've just listened to. And then it's making recommendations as well, right?

Sidhaant Karnick [00:36:51 - 00:36:53]

They should be?

Taapsi Ramchandani [00:36:53 - 00:37:07]

So, and how do you actually, tell me how you actually navigate YouTube? Do you just play one song and then it just runs with whatever happens next and you just leave it? It's not like you're searching for artists or albums or songs in particular.

Sidhaant Karnick [00:37:08 - 00:37:12]

Yes, now I've got too many screens on me and with your voice, I'm lost.

Taapsi Ramchandani [00:37:11 - 00:37:14]

Leave your, leave your, leave your, leave your phone.

Sidhaant Karnick [00:37:14 - 00:37:17]

Can I stop screen sharing?

Taapsi Ramchandani [00:37:17 - 00:37:21]

I want to wait here for a second. What I want to know is when you're playing music,

Sidhaant Karnick [00:37:20 - 00:37:20]

Okay.

Taapsi Ramchandani [00:37:21 - 00:37:25]

and you come on to YouTube, are you searching for anything in particular,

Sidhaant Karnick [00:37:22 - 00:37:24]

Yes. Yes.

Taapsi Ramchandani [00:37:25 - 00:37:27]

or are you searching for a mood? Let's start there.

Sidhaant Karnick [00:37:28 - 00:37:48]

I search for a song which is very familiar to me and I know okay this is the mood of that song and then that one click then algorithm takes over and it plays me similar genres. And like I said I'm not, I'd like to be an efficient person so I don't want to spend too much time figuring out your own mood.

Taapsi Ramchandani [00:37:49 - 00:38:04]

Do you use other things that YouTube has to offer? For example, liking a channel, creating a playlist, following an artist? Do you engage with the platform?

Sidhaant Karnick [00:37:51 - 00:38:09]

So YouTube or YouTube music? 

Taapsi Ramchandani [00:38:07 - 00:38:09]

YouTube Music. YouTube Music.

Sidhaant Karnick [00:38:09 - 00:38:11]

Only music.

Taapsi Ramchandani [00:38:09 - 00:38:10]

Only Music.

Sidhaant Karnick [00:38:11 - 00:38:43]

No, I just put liked music, songs I like and downloaded songs because I'm often travelling in no network zones so at least I have access to music then. Those are the two features. I don't follow artists now that you mentioned it. I don't create playlists either because I remember when the days of mixtapes and recording CD burning CDs. Yeah. I couldn't sit myself down and so on, so on, so on.

Taapsi Ramchandani [00:38:42 - 00:38:47]

You did say that music is a new thing in your life, right? Like it's a... being an audiophile is...

Sidhaant Karnick [00:38:48 - 00:38:57]

Yeah, because at that time it was all mixed from my brother, borrowed from my brother, you know, whatever music he would listen to, okay, I'll listen to this, or my parents,

Taapsi Ramchandani [00:38:53 - 00:38:54]

Yeah.

Sidhaant Karnick [00:38:57 - 00:39:35]

parents would listen, I would listen to this. Only recently I've now started discovering what is my own tastes of music. For example, EDM is something I never vibed with. I was always old school instrumental music or dance music because I used to be a dancer. But EDM recently is great because, I mean, there is no better music that allows me to zone in as much as EDM, you know, because you hit, you set the BPMs and then you figure out the genre and then I'm there. Like I find lyrical music annoying now, especially when I'm trying to work because they're shouting.

Taapsi Ramchandani [00:39:36 - 00:39:40]

Of course. And also the other words in your mind. You already have your own words in your mind.

Sidhaant Karnick [00:39:39 - 00:39:42]

Yes, exactly.

Taapsi Ramchandani [00:39:40 - 00:39:45]

I get it. Especially when they are familiar, you know.

Sidhaant Karnick [00:39:42 - 00:39:46]

I'm sorry.

Taapsi Ramchandani [00:39:46 - 00:39:51]

I said, especially when they're familiar because then you want to sing along too, you know, like you're like, oh, I know the words.

Sidhaant Karnick [00:39:51 - 00:39:52]

Yes, absolutely.

Taapsi Ramchandani [00:39:53 - 00:40:16]

What are your go-to morning music?

Sidhaant Karnick [00:40:08 - 00:40:27]

Yes. Hang drum music, the instrument hang drum and tabla.

Taapsi Ramchandani [00:40:23 - 00:40:31]

Hang drum. Oh, I don't know what it's called. I've seen it before. It's like a steel band.

Sidhaant Karnick [00:40:29 - 00:40:42]

Yes, and it creates beautiful music, just like that. Just the right, you know, I don't want too much of... Yeah. It's just right, I don't know, for me it's right.

Taapsi Ramchandani [00:40:43 - 00:40:45]

Perfect. So that's how you start your morning.

Sidhaant Karnick [00:40:45 - 00:40:59]

Yes, and then Para for Kuva, this is a song I go to very often in the last six months. Okay. Okay. And I don't know who these guys are. These are all algorithms.

Taapsi Ramchandani [00:40:58 - 00:41:04]

But like you said, it's good because you're getting exposed to a whole bunch of stuff, new artists in the same genre.

Sidhaant Karnick [00:41:03 - 00:41:13]

Yeah and this is my own song. I'm very proud to be a musician without being able to play a musical instrument.

Taapsi Ramchandani [00:41:12 - 00:41:18]

What does that even mean? How is this your song? You wrote it?

Sidhaant Karnick [00:41:13 - 00:41:20]

Yes, I wrote it, I performed it.

Taapsi Ramchandani [00:41:21 - 00:41:23]

You performed it. I didn't know you sing.

Sidhaant Karnick [00:41:22 - 00:41:29]

Yes. I don't sing. This is more in the zone of slam poetry.

Taapsi Ramchandani [00:41:30 - 00:41:34]

Okay, alright. I know what I'm going to listen to.

Sidhaant Karnick [00:41:33 - 00:41:39]

Oh yes. Yes. Best before.

Taapsi Ramchandani [00:41:37 - 00:41:38]

Best Before. (Song Name)

Sidhaant Karnick [00:41:39 - 00:41:43]

Yeah. Its one of that. I've made three original soundtracks so far.

Taapsi Ramchandani [00:41:43 - 00:41:45]

And they're all on YouTube Music?

Sidhaant Karnick [00:41:45 - 00:41:51]

They are all on YouTube. YouTube music, I think they are different. Some of them are not on YouTube music.

Taapsi Ramchandani [00:41:53 - 00:42:02]

You can stop your share screen right now.

Sidhaant Karnick [00:41:58 - 00:42:03]

Yeah. It's also showing me low battery.

Taapsi Ramchandani [00:42:06 - 00:42:34]

That's okay. It's perfect timing. I wanted to just wrap up by asking you first, before I get into rapid fire round fun stuff, is there anything else that, you know, since we've been talking so much about all the different touch points in your life that have, that reflect your character and who you are, right? And what you're seeking out of life, what is meaningful in life? Is there anything else that you want to add that we haven't talked about?

Sidhaant Karnick [00:42:44 - 00:43:59]

I think, thankfully, gratefully, this interview conversation has been about me, right? And there's enough of me out there already. I'd like to think about something which will be very usable for everybody. Breathe. Just breathe. I can't begin to tell you how many secrets of life are there in breath. And it's because there's so much, it's also very individual to discover what is there for yourself. And I think that is something which conscious, be conscious about breath and breathing and relaxation, relaxing, you know, and not necessarily, not needing to be number one, not needing to be fast and ambitious so much that you're, no, that's not the purpose of life. Purpose of life is to have interesting conversations with interesting people and coming back with something good, evolving, being number one, it's overrated.

Taapsi Ramchandani [00:44:01 - 00:44:10]

Okay. Only thing left is a rapid fire round. Are you ready? 

Sidhaant Karnick [00:44:09 - 00:44:11]

Yes ma'am. 

Taapsi Ramchandani [00:44:10 - 00:44:11]

All right. First...

Sidhaant Karnick [00:44:10 - 00:44:17]

Let me relax.

Taapsi Ramchandani [00:44:18 - 00:44:21]

Alright, name one thing on your bucket list.

Sidhaant Karnick [00:44:22 - 00:44:25]

Africa, riding on my motorcycle through Africa.

Taapsi Ramchandani [00:44:26 - 00:44:34]

Riding on your motorcycle through Africa. Wow. Okay, which I already know the answer to this one. Which social media platform are you most active on?

Sidhaant Karnick [00:44:35 - 00:44:36]

Instagram.

Taapsi Ramchandani [00:44:35 - 00:44:41]

Exactly. Do you post on Instagram by the way or are you just consuming content?

Sidhaant Karnick [00:44:41 - 00:44:46]

I do post. In fact, I post more than I check out others. It's like posting.

Taapsi Ramchandani [00:44:46 - 00:44:50]

But very good, you're an actor. This is your platform.

Sidhaant Karnick [00:44:46 - 00:44:57]

Yeah. I have to be here, that's why I am here. If I could not, I would not. But I'm also a visual person, so I enjoy visuals.

Taapsi Ramchandani [00:44:55 - 00:45:01]

Yeah. Perfect. Okay, what comes to mind when I say happiness?

Sidhaant Karnick [00:45:02 - 00:45:04]

Overrated, over abused.

Taapsi Ramchandani [00:45:05 - 00:45:10]

Okay, alright. Do you own a vehicle? I know you do. You just mentioned it. What do you own?

Sidhaant Karnick [00:45:11 - 00:45:51]

My motorcycle, I have a Africa Twin CRF1000, so you can travel through continents on that motorcycle. I have a 1982 Mercedes W123. I have a, my first car is still with me, that's a Volkswagen GT, that's my sleeper car, so when you know I just need to go park in Bandra, that's the one and it's still works. I have a Mercedes E250 and now recently my mom got a Mercedes GLE 450 petrol, she's a petrol head too, so we're a family of petrol heads.

Taapsi Ramchandani [00:45:51 - 00:45:56]

Wow, wow. And now a family of Mercedes, it seems like, in that collection.

Sidhaant Karnick [00:45:54 - 00:45:58]

Yeah, yeah, yeah.

Taapsi Ramchandani [00:45:58 - 00:46:23]

Okay, that was it Sidhaant. Very, very painless, rapid fire. Thanks so much for your time. I feel like after this call, I'm calm. It's like your energy is rubbed off on me as a result of having this conversation. And I'm very, very grateful that you could take the time out because I know you have a busy schedule.

Sidhaant Karnick [00:46:23 - 00:46:55]

Taapsi, thank you! Wow, what a lovely conversation this was. So organic, so intellectually and spiritually and holistically stimulating. You made me ask myself questions which I had not thought about and it was so good and organic. You're so good at this. Please like, subscribe and share everybody because this is awesome. I know I'm going to be a fan of Taapsi and listen to your podcast because it's really good. Thank you.

Taapsi Ramchandani [00:46:55 - 00:46:58]

Thanks so much. Have a good day. Bye.

Sidhaant Karnick [00:46:58 - 00:46:59]

Bye.