With Bollywood going through a slump as several films fail to get the cash registers ringing at the box office, the debate around rising production costs and actors’ large entourages has gained steam.

However, actor Nawazuddin Siddiqui says, “Yeh bahut pehle se hota aa raha hai.” Stating that he has heard of several celebrities throwing tantrums on sets, Siddiqui adds, “Actors have many unnecessary demands. They want everything lavish. I have even heard that some actors have five vanity vans — one each for working out, cooking, eating, bathing, practising lines and what not. Yeh pagalpan hai.”

Siddiqui continues, “Why would actors want to increase the cost of production? This is absolutely wrong. This money can be put in films instead.”

The 50-year-old asserts, “I wish to work well and nothing else. Meri toh aisi koi demands nahin hoti. Production time se pehle main khada hota hoon shoot ke liye.”

The actor, who made his acting debut with Sarfarosh in 1999, completed 25 years in the industry recently. Ask about his journey so far, and he expresses gratitude: “Jo maine socha tha, usse bhi upar mujhe uparwaale ne diya hai. I am thankful to the directors who gave me every kind of role to play.”

Siddiqui, known for films such as Gangs Of Wasseypur (2012), The Lunchbox (2013) and Manto (2018), goes on to praise independent filmmakers and youngsters for not being in “awe” of Bollywood. 

“They make content on their own terms. It gives me hope that this kind of cinema will grow. Main challenge ke saath kehta hoon, hamesha chhoti aur deep filmein hi desh ki pehchaan hain, jo world over popular bhi hoti hain. Cinema should be for filmmakers who thrive on content and are not concerned about making it look lavish,” he concludes.