Playing a villain is no biggie for Nawazuddin Siddiqui. But playing one against Tiger Shroff, who enjoys a strong fan base among kids, would be a tricky affair. Stepping into the role of an antagonist in Heropanti 2, Siddiqui says his character Laila was built in a way that it would appeal to children. “Tiger has a huge fan following among kids. So, my character had to be equally entertaining. It’s not a part that could [benefit from] method acting; instead, the presentation enhanced it. Laila is also shown as a magician, so that kids could like him. Plus, he has a feminine touch,” explains the actor.

Ahmed Khan’s directorial venture sees Shroff’s Babloo lock horns with Laila in a bid to stop cyber crimes across the world. To Siddiqui, Laila is the perfect example of how negative roles offer an actor more room to experiment — a luxury that is arguably not afforded when playing an all-white, holier-than-thou protagonist.

“When you play a villain, there is more scope to perform. So, I had the opportunity to explore [different shades within the role]. Usually, there is not much scope for such performances in mainstream films. But Ahmed felt only I could pull off this role, and he created a unique look for me. A lot of things were created spontaneously. For instance, the idea of giving him a feminine touch was built on the spot.”

For him, it has been a two-decade romance with acting. The actor says spending years in front of the camera has made him a better artiste. “With experience, you find ease in every role. You also tend to look at every character with a different point of view.  Experience truly matters, and you, as an artiste, can bring a lot to the table. For me, it is important that I don’t repeat myself. When I was doing Heropanti 2, I was also doing No Land's Man. I enjoyed [juggling] two different genres.”