Of course you remember the scrawny looking guy with curly hair who played the head lamp hanging upside down; who light up the king's supper with a brilliant smile in the popular Happy-Dent ad. Well things have luckily turned around for this young chap since the time he starred in this ad. Sachin Nayak's latest venture is the ongoing film Siddhartha — The Prisoner where he plays a lead role with Rajat Kapoor.

It's a common perception that people who become popular in advertisements, find it hard to get into films. Is this really true? "People who become a known face in the ads are models. But I am not a model. I am an actor who posed as a model. So you see there is the difference. It is finally about the persistence within you which can take you where you really want to reach," he remarks.

Did he face any constraints getting a break because of having average looks? He says, "Frankly my average looks have worked quite well for me. It's because of my looks that I got the Happy-Dent ad and now this film. But this perception is slowly changing in the film industry. Irfan Khan is the best example of average looks yet brilliant acting."

In the past Nayak acted in a short film titled Migration, directed by Mira Nair and has been part of over 25 commercials. His upcoming projects include Fruit and Nut, a film directed by Kunal Vijaykar. When asked for his future ambitions, he said, "It's a big thing for me who comes from a small town to have worked in a film. But I believe if you have talent, it may get delayed, but it will definitely shine one day."Looking Sharp: Sachin Nayak and below a still from Siddhartha - The Prisoner