Showing posts with label Budhana. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Budhana. Show all posts
I want to imbibe Nawazuddin Siddiqui’s calmness as an actor-Nupur Sanon
8:23 AM
Neha Maheshwri (BOMBAY TIMES; April 4, 2022)
After featuring in music videos, Nupur Sanon is now following in her elder sister Kriti Sanon’s footsteps by making her debut in Bollywood. She’ll be seen opposite Nawazuddin Siddiqui in Noorani Chehra.
She says, “I feel fortunate to be working opposite Nawazuddin sir and that, too, in my debut film. He is a phenomenal actor and easy to work with. When you are starting off, you have less experience and it’s a tricky space. Hence, it is comforting when you’re working with someone who is so good at what they do.”
Some time ago, Nupur shared a picture in which Nawaz is seen teaching her how to ride a bullock cart. She laughs at the mention of the picture and says, “We had some time off and decided to explore the village where we are shooting. I have never really been to a village, so it was an exciting experience. Nawaz sir told me that he hails from Budhana, a village, which was close to where we were shooting. He mentioned how he would ride a bullock cart, so on a whim, we decided to take a bullock cart ride. Since he knew how to ride it, he taught me a few tricks.”
The actress never imagined that the senior actor would be so chilled out. She shares, “I thought he would be one of those actors, who would sit in a corner, be in his own zone and not like to be disturbed. I was pleasantly surprised to find that he is anything, but that. Our camaraderie has become better with each passing day. He is a nice, grounded and funny human being. He talks to everyone on the set and is involved in everything.”
Nupur says that besides observing Nawaz’s skills as an actor, the one quality of his that she hopes to imbibe is his sense of calm. She says, “From what I have observed of him as a performer, I’ve realised that he doesn’t think about what the result should be or how a scene should come out. So, when you don’t have that pressure on you, you do what you are feeling at that moment. That’s something I am trying to implement.”
Aaj ki date mein theatres sirf paise-waalon ka ho gaya hai-Nawazuddin Siddiqui
7:58 AM
The actor, who feels the big screen will always have a charm of its own, says small films get stepmotherly treatment in the industry
Prashant Singh (HINDUSTAN TIMES; September 17, 2020)
Movie theatres have been shut since the Coronavirus lockdown first came into force on March 25. And though theatre owners have incurred huge losses, many feel the rise of OTT platforms is great news for content creators. Nawazuddin Siddiqui, too, believes streaming sites have “proved to be a blessing for smaller films.”
“The big screen has always had, and will forever have its charm. Wahaan ek alag hi mahaul hota hai,” says Siddiqui, adding: “OTT platforms, on the other hand, have special advantages. For instance, lockdown mein bhi kitne log meri films dekh paa rahein hain. Plus, streaming sites are available worldwide to everyone.” During the lockdown, some of his films, such as Ghoomketu and Raat Akeli Hai, were released digitally.
The actor also feels cinema halls don’t create a level-playing field for all. “Theatres have become superstars’ personal fiefdom of sorts, it’s as if they have established a rule over 5,000 screens. But OTTs have come as a blessing for smaller films. With no investors, producers, backers or a proper release strategy, chhoti films ke saath bahut sautela vyavhaar hota hai,” he says.
Siddiqui further rues the lack of similar opportunities for every filmmaker. “Aaj ki date mein theatres sirf paise-waalon ka ho gaya hai; unki monopoly ho gayi hai. OTT platforms, though, have brought in a democratic culture (vis-a-vis showcasing films). Now, our films also get picked up and showcased as prominently. Otherwise, chhoti filmon ka bahut bura hashr hota hai. Also, we are getting some fantastic talent — including great actors and directors — due to the OTT space,” he says.
The actor, who recently travelled to Dehradun from his village Budhana, Uttar Pradesh, is happy to spend time with his niece, nephews and brother. “Mujhe koi shikaayat nahi hai about the lockdown. In fact, I look at it as a time where I’m getting to watch great cinema, and some fantastic actors,” adds Siddiqui.
I don't know the D of direction-Nawazuddin Siddiqui
8:09 AM
Refusing to discuss the turmoil in his personal life, Nawazuddin Siddiqui on his latest release Raat Akeli Hai, and why he won't steer towards filmmaking
Shaheen Parkar (MID-DAY; August 2, 2020)
Nawazuddin Siddiqui's personal life has been under the scanner ever since wife Aaliya sent him a divorce notice in May. There have also been allegations of abuse and misconduct as his estranged wife made startling revelations on social media. The actor fields the question calmly, stating, "I don't want to say anything about my personal life in public."
He would rather concentrate on acting and his family occupation of farming in hometown Budhana. "I practice farming whenever I am back in my village," says the actor. While he kicked off 2020 with the release of his long-pending Ghoomketu in May, he has turned his attention to Raat Akeli Hai that dropped on Netflix on Friday. "When I shoot, it doesn't matter whether it is for theatres or OTT platforms. My job is to challenge myself to perform better. You should keep working and giving your best shot. It may take time, but one day, you will earn the fruits of labour. I had no clue if I would achieve success, but slowly and steadily, I have reached here."
After Kahaani (2012) and Raees (2017), Siddiqui is playing a cop again in the noir thriller, which marks the directorial debut of casting director Honey Trehan. Having known him over the years, he is thrilled that Trehan chose him for his first feature film. "I am familiar with his creative process. I got to know him well during the making of Raees, in which he cast me."
The actor rues that casting directors, despite being integral to a movie, do not get their due. "When people watch a film, they say the actors were well-chosen for their parts. They don't realise that it is the work of a casting director," says Siddiqui, who will next be seen in brother Shamas's directorial venture, Bole Chudiyan. "I don't even know the D of direction; I'm happy to leave it to my brother."
Farming is a habit and a part of my DNA now-Nawazuddin Siddiqui
8:23 AM
Prashant Singh (HINDUSTAN TIMES; June 26, 2020)
He travelled to his home-town, Budhana (Uttar Pradesh) last month, amid Coronavirus lockdown. And since then, actor Nawazuddin Siddiqui has kept himself busy, not with anything to do with acting but what, he says, comes “naturally” to him — farming.
On his social media accounts, the actor shared a video titled ‘Done for the day’, in which he can be seen washing his hands at the end of a session, at his farm. Later, Siddiqui — who clearly seems to be soaked in sweat and mud — can be seen picking up the spade and walking off.
Ask him if ‘enjoys’ farming, and he says: “It’s not about ‘feeling good’ or ‘enjoyment’ because this is a habit and a part of my DNA now. My forefathers were into farming and even I did the same initially — for close to 25 years of my life. When I moved to Mumbai, it came to a halt, but whenever I have gone back to my village, I have always indulged in farming. Honestly, it gives me a lot of peace of mind, and plus, it all also comes naturally.”
That’s why Siddiqui doesn’t even believe that farming is something that ‘keeps me grounded’. “The reality is that this is me, and that’s what I am. So, there’s no question of it keeping me rooted or grounded. When I am in Mumbai and doing films/shows, that’s an absolutely different aspect of my life which is also something that I enjoy a lot,” says the actor, adding, “Gaon mein hamaari extended family ke kaafi pushtaani khet hain abhi bhi.”
Ask Siddiqui what he is helping grow right now, and he says: “In the video, I was making arrangements to water the jowar crop. Itni garmi mein jowar bahut acche se grow karta hai,” says the actor, who has also been taking out time to dub for Sudhir Mishra’s OTT project, Serious Men (an adaptation of Manu Joseph’s book of the same name) at home.
As for farming, Siddiqui feels that his stint with it has also helped him professionally. “Once I am done with my work in mentally-challenging films such as Raman Raghav 2.0 (2016), I love to come back to my village, do some farming, clear my mind and go back to Mumbai, to start my next film, on a clean slate,” he concludes.
Nawazuddin wanted to fulfill ammi’s wish-Shamas N Siddiqui
8:24 AM
Shreya Mukherjee (HINDUSTAN TIMES; May 20, 2020)
Actor Nawazuddin Siddiqui, his mother Mehroonisa Siddiqui and a few family members went to their hometown Budhana, Uttar Pradesh, last week, and all of them are under a 14-day quarantine. While many speculated that Siddiqui went home for Eid, he clarified on Twitter that it was their mother’s wish to go home, as she was unwell.Negating Eid celebration reports, his brother, director Shamas N Siddiqui, also tweeted a copy of the travel permission they took.
“Ammi used to take care of our sister (Syama Tamshi Siddiqui). She couldn’t accept her death and has been getting panic attacks,” says Shamas, 36, adding that the day communication started, Nawaz took the permissions to go to Budhana.
Syama died at the age of 26 last year after a prolonged battle with cancer.
Shamas, who’s in Mumbai, adds, “Nawaz bhai wanted to fulfil ammi’s wish. They got their Coronavirus test done, and thankfully, results came negative. Though she’s doing better now, bhai has no plans of coming back to Mumbai. He’ll be back only when shootings resume.”
He also adds that the family won’t celebrate Eid this year. “Hamaara koi apna hume chhod ke chala gaya hai, hum kaise Eid manaa sakte hain?”
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NAWAZUDDIN’S WIFE AALIYA FILES FOR DIVORCE
Nawazuddin Siddiqui’s wife Aaliya has filed for divorce. She sent him a legal notice on May 7 seeking maintenance. “There are several serious reasons behind my problems with Nawaz,” Aaliya told ABP News. She added that problems between them have been going on since 2010, “but now things have escalated beyond repair”. The couple has been married for a decade and has two kids.
I want to only make commercial cinema, which caters to the family audience-Shamas Nawab Siddiqui
7:59 AM
Renuka Vyavahare (BOMBAY TIMES; October 5, 2019)
Nawazuddin Siddiqui and Tamannaah Bhatia’s upcoming romantic drama, Bole Chudiyan, has been directed by Nawaz’s younger brother, Shamas Nawab Siddiqui. Having assisted directors as an AD on ads, short films and TV shows in the past, this is Shamas’ first feature film as a director and writer. In a chat with Bombay Times, he spoke about his experience of working on the film, the challenges he faced and what it’s like to direct his talented elder brother. Excerpts…
What are the pros and cons of directing your brother on screen? Nawaz is a renowned actor, was that intimidating for you as a first-time director?
We are seven siblings and since I came to Mumbai from Budhana (Uttar Pradesh) a few years after Nawaz did, our relationship is more work-oriented. I was nervous in the beginning and wasn’t sure if I had the confidence to direct someone as seasoned as Nawaz bhai. He has worked with the best of directors. However, within a few days, the nervousness disappeared. He is extremely professional. On set, he is just an actor. In fact, he would wonder why I would hesitate to say ‘cut’ sometimes. Nawaz bhai is a great improviser. He will add something or the other at the end of every scene. Even Anurag Kashyap lets him finish the scenes his way. In this film, there’s a scene where Nawaz’s character goes on the roof of the heroine’s haveli to tell her that she doesn’t have to worry; that he is brave enough to keep other prospective grooms and rishtas away from her; that they won’t dare to face him. Soon after, there’s a loud sound in the house and he runs away, contradicting the ‘bold persona’ he tries to portray. Adding that twist in the end was Nawaz’s idea. He will suggest these inputs, but never try to take over. He is a director’s actor and he believed in me. Tamannaah, too, told me to treat her like a newcomer when she felt that I was a tad intimidated. They both made me feel comfortable.
Will this film see Nawaz in a different avatar?
This is perhaps his first U-rated film! There is not a single cuss word in it (smiles).
What is Bole Chudiyan all about?
It’s an out-and-out romantic drama with a healthy dose of humour, set in a small-town Muslim household. As a director, I was looking for a story which I could identify with. Since I hail from Budhana (Uttar Pradesh), I thought that I could do justice to a small-town love story. As a director, it always helps to get the nuances right if you have actually lived that life. When we were in Budhana, Nawaz bhai ke life mein aise kai romantic kisse huye the, so I decided to use that in this film. The romance in Bole Chudiyan has been inspired by Nawaz’s real-life instances. The film has six beautiful songs and a fun ensemble cast, also including Rajpal Yadav, Aditya Srivastava, Vibha Chibber, Kabir Duhan Singh and Priyamvada Kant. Other than the primary cast, there are 68 actors in the film and 90 per cent of the scenes have been shot outdoors in Mandawa (Rajasthan), where the temperature was 36 to 47 degrees. I had great support from the crew and the producers; I come with 10 years’ experience in the industry, but have never come across such a supportive crew.
Why did you choose to shoot the film in Mandawa and not Budhana?
Budhana is our hometown and had we shot there, someone or the other would come to meet Nawaz every day. It was relatively easier to manage the crowd in Mandawa. Also, the film required a certain setting, in terms of houses and the way of life, which still exists in Mandawa. Budhana has changed a lot. Most buildings are modern now, so that didn’t suit the small-town narrative.
We hear that you even arranged home-cooked food for the entire crew, as they fancied the taste of your ghar ka khaana?
Unko mere mummy ke haath ka khaana pasand aaya tha. Isliye, I got a cook from Budhana to Mandawa, who served them those dishes. In return, they also made me feel at home. The production had provided with the best of equipment, which makes life easy for a debutant director. I had the best chemistry with senior DOP (director of photography) Mohana Krishna and producer Rajesh Bhatia, who always supported and encouraged me. A special mention to costume designer Shadab Malik, too, who has done a splendid job.
As a director, what is the genre that attracts you the most?
I want to only make commercial cinema, which caters to the family audience.
Nawazuddin Siddiqui to buy a plot in Kasara to pursue farming
8:04 AM
Given his background in agriculture, Nawazuddin Siddiqui also intends to educate farmers about the new techniques available in the field
Sonil Dedhia (MID-DAY; August 5, 2018)
When he is not slipping into varied roles effortlessly, Nawazuddin Siddiqui enjoys going back to his hometown, Budhana, Uttar Pradesh, and indulging in farming. The actor had earlier told mid-day, "I have been a farmer all my life, and this is something that I love doing. I try to come here whenever possible as it relaxes me." Now, it has been learnt that he is in the process of buying a plot in Kasara in Maharashtra to pursue the hobby.
Confirming the news, Nawazuddin's brother Shamas Siddiqui says, "Of late, it has become difficult for Nawaz bhai to travel all the way to our village, owing to his hectic schedule. So, last month, he decided to buy a plot close to Mumbai. That way, when he is not shooting, he can drive down to Kasara and spend some time at our farms."
Shamas adds that they had been scouting for agricultural land over the past few months. "We have finalised a few plots that are close to the river, and will seal the deal by this week. If everything goes as per plan, we should start farming by next month."
Given his background in agriculture, Nawazuddin also intends to educate farmers about the new techniques available in the field. His brother explains, "Last year, we had implemented new irrigation techniques in Budhana, which helped the farmers there tremendously. Similarly, Nawaz bhai and I want to create awareness here too. Once people will see him implementing new techniques, it will create curiosity, and in the process, we will be able to help them in developing their output."
I don’t plan to mimic Bal Thackeray in the biopic-Nawazuddin Siddiqui
8:23 AM
Nawazuddin Siddiqui reveals how he plans to play the Shiv Sena supremo, why Manto’s journey was fascinating and the reason he withdrew his memoir
Roshmila Bhattacharya (MUMBAI MIRROR; January 20, 2018)
What’s the takeaway from Nandita Das’s Manto biopic?
What was fascinating about Saadat Hasan Manto’s journey was his relentless fight for truth to the very end. This need to explode taboos and expose social hypocrisies is what made the film more than just another biopic. The three-four months that I was in character mujhe khud se sharm aane lagi thi. In our ajeeb aur gareeb world everyone tries to show himself to be pure but in the mirror Manto held up, our foibles are all too clear. He was disarmingly honest and stood up for what is right, that’s what made his stories so genuine. My performance had to reflect these qualities, so through the duration of the shoot, I tried to be who I am, without artifice.
And after the film was over?
(Sighs) It’s hard to live life like Manto, sometimes people can be so judgemental, whether in real life or on the social media, we are all living a lie. I tried to get Manto out of my system, jaldi se jaldi, nahin to nehle pe dehla ho jaata.
Your memoir, An Ordinary Life, was truthful, perhaps a little too truthful.
I was in the Manto zone during the time, so I said some things I regretted later. But I have to point out here that it was a 288-page book and only around five pages spoke about relationships.
Unfortunately, the media focused on only these five pages during the promotions. That gave a wrong impression of the content. I quickly realised my career was going well, I didn’t need to court unnecessary controversy, so I withdrew the book from the stands with a sincere apology.
From Manto you move to another challenge, maybe a bigger one—Bal Thackeray.
It’s a challenge any actor would be ready for given his personality. The performance will require a lot of detailing because while there are no videos of Manto floating around making it easy to convince people that this was how he was, in the case of Balasaheb, there is a lot of material available, also, people have seen him in person. I plan to seek out Naseer saab (Naseeruddin Shah), my teacher, to guide me.
I don’t plan to mimic him in the biopic because that any mimicry artiste can do. I have to ‘live’ him on screen. Both the producer-writer (Sanjay Raut) and the director (Abhijit Panse) know him well. I wish I had met him even once as that would have helped me now. Maybe if I go to his house, It’ll get me a feel of the man. I have to get into his mind, understand what made this brilliant cartoonist give up his life for the Marathi manoos who were going through a lot of frustration and depression then. I’m looking for that turning point in his thoughts that defined his life later.
Isn’t it ironical that two years ago, you had to pull out of a Ramleela performace in your village Budhana following protests from the Shiv Sena and now you will be playing the party’s founder-president on screen?
I don’t know who those people were who raised objections then, which party they came from. I took the step of withdrawing, to maintain peace, thinking agle saal kar lenge given that the Ramleela happens every year.
Do you see yourself ever getting into active politics?
Politics? No, no, politics se to main dur dur tak bhaagta hoon. The day I stop getting roles, I will go to the Himalayas.
There’s a long way to go for that. You recently reunited with The Lunchbox director, Ritesh Batra, for Photograph. Has Ritesh evolved in these five years?
What’s distinctive about Ritesh is that he will do a scene 10 times to make it seem natural, as casual as it would appear in real life. He doesn’t want anyone to ‘act’ in his film. It’s wonderful to work with directors like him who are ready to experiment with their craft. Also, it was great to go back to the Gateway of India that I had visited many times in my struggling days. This time though there were lakhs of people who had come for a dekko.
Given how difficult it is to get the nod from you, what got Genius the go-ahead?
Genius is an out-and-out commercial film and director Anil Sharma has some huge hits behind him, including Gadar - Ek Prem Katha. What I like about him is that while my performance is as realistic as ever, the treatment is larger-than-life and that’s what marks the difference between mainstream and the parallel cinema. That’s the difference in gaze between Danny Boyle’s Slumdog Millionaire and a small-budget Hindi film about Dharavi. That’s what makes a film entertaining and engaging.
Vaibhav Prakash Pandey, a standard 12 student and a real genius, who bagged a $200000 scholarship to the American University Wheaton, has admitted to being influenced by you. That must be heartening.
I was thrilled when I read this. If I can inspire even one person—and this boy has won a scholarship to an American University—I consider it my biggest achievement. Bigger than any award.
Reportedly you are playing Sultana Daku in a British production which is an adaptation of Sujit Saraf’s book on the life of the UP dacoit from the pre-Independence era. It will be directed by Heeraz Marfatia who has assisted Shekhar Kapur and Roland Joffee.
We’ve spoken about it but there is no real progress on this yet.
What about the romcom with Vishal Bhardwaj and the Phobia sequel?
Dates didn’t work out with Vishal as now my focus is Thackeray. The Phobia sequel I want to do, as it’s a great script. We still have to figure dates.
You had six releases last year. That’s a lot of work but do you really need to do supporting roles in films like Raees, Mom and Munna Michael today when you are getting lead roles?
It’s only in India that we make the distinction between commercial and art cinema or content-driven films. Abroad it’s only ‘good’ and ‘bad’ films. Even more disheartening is that instead of appreciating an actor’s performance and give them the respect they deserve, we are quick to put them into categories like ‘heroes’, ‘character actors’, ‘villains’ and ‘comedians’. After a couple of months abroad, you will realise that the Bollywood hero is a stereotype— he is only there to romance the girl, sing a few songs, fight the bad men and disappear into the sunset. For me a film is a good film if it engages the audience, I don’t want just eight people to see and applaud it. I’d rather experiment on the digital platform where you have the luxury of time to go into the intricacies of character and craft.
We saw you as a rapper in a recent release. Will we see you come out with a music video one day soon?
A music video would mean dancing and while any commercial film I do today usually has me performing a song-and-dance number, it still scares the hell out of me. The body may have rhythm but I have a mental block as far as naach-gaana goes so choreographers tell me. I’m convinced I can’t dance and that’s embedded in my mind. I guess that’s one hurdle I will have to overcome soon.
Nawazuddin Siddiqui to spearhead a campaign for water conservation
10:58 AM
Actor
has been appointed by the Ministry of Water Resources, River
Development & Ganga Rejuvenation to spearhead a campaign to preserve
natural reserves
Roshmila Bhattacharya (MUMBAI MIRROR; December 9, 2017)
Nawazuddin Siddiqui has been roped in by the central government to spearhead a water conservation campaign for the Ministry of Water Resources, River Development & Ganga Rejuvenation. The Ministry is producing a celebrity-endorsed TV commercial, ‘The Auction’, to spread awareness on this issue and wants to tap the actor’s personal connect with his audience to enhance public participation, aiming to turn the campaign into a mass movement.
Confirming the news, the actor told Mirror, “We will start small, urging people to change their habits and save water at home before taking it forward aggressively. In my family, the responsibility lies with my daughter Shora who has been hearing stories about how precious water is since she was four, with added knowledge from textbooks and participation in the Versova beach clean-up operation, has been actively promoting the cause. Both my wife Aliya and I get scolded if we leave a tap open or waste water.”
Nawaz himself is equally concerned, having seen the river Hindon, which flows through his native village Budhana in the Muzaffarnagar district of Uttar Pradesh, shrink over the last five years into a stream of foul-smelling, filthy water full of chemical waste. “Nadi ab nala ban gayi hai. We can’t blame the government for what ails us, as citizens we need to take accountability and put preventive measures in places,” he asserts, rueing that even Mumbai is facing the same problem with its rivers like Mithi and Poisar contaminated with industrial effluents and sewage leading to flooding during monsoons and drastic climate change. “We have to come up with some disaster management plans as soon as possible, not just for the city and the state but for every part of the country.”
Nawaz’s grandfather and father were farmers and even he worked in the fields from the age of 10 to 22 when he left for Vadodara to pursue higher studies. He worked as a chemist before an interest in acting took him to Delhi’s National School of Drama (NSD) and on to Mumbai and Bollywood. However, he remains connected with his roots and after a state-commissioned research marked Budhana in the 'dark zone’ because of its sinking water levels, he was particularly disturbed. “A decade ago, you just had to dig 20-25 feet to pump water from the ground. Now, even at 250-300 feet you may not hit pay dirt,” he sighs, impressing on the need for optimal usage of water.
The actor remembers waking up at around 4.30 am as a child and heading straight for the fields where he would draw water from the tubewell for irrigation. The water was systematically distributed and not allowed to collect in one place and go waste. Last year, when he was at the Cannes Film Festival, he met a group of French filmmakers who had farms in Nice. They introduced him to a unique irrigation technique called centre pivot which delivers water through elevated pipes and rotating nozzles, each pipe irrigating one acre of land.
This cost-effective and water-efficient technique sprinkles water through elevated pipes and rotating nozzles. “I’ve introduced this innovative method of irrigation wherein each pipe can irrigate an acre of land and consumes less than half the quantity of water that we would otherwise use with conventional techniques and produces healthier crops. My association with this campaign should accelerate this work too,” exults Nawaz, who is open to doing everything possible, from commercials and ground campaigns to shorts and films to give an impetus to the government’s initatiave. “My background makes it easy for me to connect with the common man. Aur mujhe jo kuch bola jayega, mein bilkul karoonga. There is no time frame or deadline,” he asserts.
Will this initiative pave his entry into politics, you wonder, and he retorts, “No, I’m not interested in politics but I am interested in water conservation and river development.” What about Ganga rejuvenation? “I graduated from Haridwar so a lot of my memories are rooted in the Ganga which for us is more than a river. It’s a symbol of our culture and tradition, it’s time we gave the river the respect it deserves. I’ll be with the ministry for as long as they need me because it’s a cause very close to my heart,” Nawaz signs off.
Nawazuddin Siddiqui has been roped in by the central government to spearhead a water conservation campaign for the Ministry of Water Resources, River Development & Ganga Rejuvenation. The Ministry is producing a celebrity-endorsed TV commercial, ‘The Auction’, to spread awareness on this issue and wants to tap the actor’s personal connect with his audience to enhance public participation, aiming to turn the campaign into a mass movement.
Confirming the news, the actor told Mirror, “We will start small, urging people to change their habits and save water at home before taking it forward aggressively. In my family, the responsibility lies with my daughter Shora who has been hearing stories about how precious water is since she was four, with added knowledge from textbooks and participation in the Versova beach clean-up operation, has been actively promoting the cause. Both my wife Aliya and I get scolded if we leave a tap open or waste water.”
Nawaz himself is equally concerned, having seen the river Hindon, which flows through his native village Budhana in the Muzaffarnagar district of Uttar Pradesh, shrink over the last five years into a stream of foul-smelling, filthy water full of chemical waste. “Nadi ab nala ban gayi hai. We can’t blame the government for what ails us, as citizens we need to take accountability and put preventive measures in places,” he asserts, rueing that even Mumbai is facing the same problem with its rivers like Mithi and Poisar contaminated with industrial effluents and sewage leading to flooding during monsoons and drastic climate change. “We have to come up with some disaster management plans as soon as possible, not just for the city and the state but for every part of the country.”
Nawaz’s grandfather and father were farmers and even he worked in the fields from the age of 10 to 22 when he left for Vadodara to pursue higher studies. He worked as a chemist before an interest in acting took him to Delhi’s National School of Drama (NSD) and on to Mumbai and Bollywood. However, he remains connected with his roots and after a state-commissioned research marked Budhana in the 'dark zone’ because of its sinking water levels, he was particularly disturbed. “A decade ago, you just had to dig 20-25 feet to pump water from the ground. Now, even at 250-300 feet you may not hit pay dirt,” he sighs, impressing on the need for optimal usage of water.
The actor remembers waking up at around 4.30 am as a child and heading straight for the fields where he would draw water from the tubewell for irrigation. The water was systematically distributed and not allowed to collect in one place and go waste. Last year, when he was at the Cannes Film Festival, he met a group of French filmmakers who had farms in Nice. They introduced him to a unique irrigation technique called centre pivot which delivers water through elevated pipes and rotating nozzles, each pipe irrigating one acre of land.
This cost-effective and water-efficient technique sprinkles water through elevated pipes and rotating nozzles. “I’ve introduced this innovative method of irrigation wherein each pipe can irrigate an acre of land and consumes less than half the quantity of water that we would otherwise use with conventional techniques and produces healthier crops. My association with this campaign should accelerate this work too,” exults Nawaz, who is open to doing everything possible, from commercials and ground campaigns to shorts and films to give an impetus to the government’s initatiave. “My background makes it easy for me to connect with the common man. Aur mujhe jo kuch bola jayega, mein bilkul karoonga. There is no time frame or deadline,” he asserts.
Will this initiative pave his entry into politics, you wonder, and he retorts, “No, I’m not interested in politics but I am interested in water conservation and river development.” What about Ganga rejuvenation? “I graduated from Haridwar so a lot of my memories are rooted in the Ganga which for us is more than a river. It’s a symbol of our culture and tradition, it’s time we gave the river the respect it deserves. I’ll be with the ministry for as long as they need me because it’s a cause very close to my heart,” Nawaz signs off.
Nawazuddin Siddiqui opens up on his first marriage with Sheeba & then getting married to his sweetheart Aaliya
8:06 AM
How a tumultuous relationship, followed by an equally rocky arranged alliance, led Nawazuddin Siddiqui back to Anjali, who’d become his second wife, Aaliya
MUMBAI MIRROR (October 23, 2017)
I would follow her, plead for forgiveness and cajole her to return home. This became a sort of a ritual, like a cassette tape annoyingly put on repeat. Although I loved her very much, I thought she might be too risky to get married to. So I decided to not get married at all. The saga of love and running around in circles continued for something like a year and a half. Then came a time when she did not return for a very, very long time. I forget the exact length of time. I was rather fed up of running around like this repeatedly.
Even though my heart pined for her, I did not go to get her. The prolonged period turned into a silent break-up. I think nowadays they call it ‘ghosting’. The loneliness was getting to me now.
► Ammi picked a lovely girl called Sheeba who hailed from Haldwani, which is near Nainital. I got married a few months before the shoot of Patang. Ahead of Haldwani, lie Bijnor, Najibabad, etc.; most of Sheeba’s family had settled in Haldwani and around it. Anjali had disappeared for almost a year; there had been no word from her at all. I got married and went to shoot Patang in Ahmedabad, tagging Sheeba along. We lived together for nearly two months. The crew of Patang knows her well. Then she went home and I went on to shoot my next film. Sheeba was a wonderful girl with a heart of gold but her brother was very intrusive. He interfered in our marriage constantly.
► Before I had set off for the court, Ammi too had advised me on similar lines. ‘If you feel there is even a teeny bit, even a drop of love left between the two of you, suleh kar lena (go for a compromise). Tell the judge then that you have made a compromise and you two want to live together.’ Her voice rang in my ears, her advice swirled in my head in a loop. I tried to make eye contact with the woman who was still my wife, but might not be within a matter of minutes. Her eyes were often lowered or gazing elsewhere. Perhaps it was a mismatch of moments. I tried again and again and again, my desperate, apologetic eyes seeking hers, but I just could not get her to look at me. (I got plenty of eye contact from her brother though.)
Our hearing began. The judge called Sheeba and asked her, ‘What do you want?’ She replied, as if with a sense of urgency, ‘I want a divorce. These guys have tortured us.’ My heart sank on the spot. My lawyer, to whom I had communicated Ammi’s wishes as my own which indeed they were, whispered in my ears what I already knew, ‘They have asked for divorce. There is nothing we can do now. I’m sorry, Nawaz.’
► Anjali and I began to meet again and soon after, we got back together. She would arrive very upbeat, with a confidence that my house was her own. She treated the tiny space—which then was still the one-room flat in Malad—as if it was her own. It was lovely. Her presence soothed me. But something was different. This time, she demanded marriage right away. She insisted upon it continuously. I was afraid: what if she repeated her ways of leaving in bouts of anger? She persisted, trying to assure me that she would not. In Budhana, we, especially the elders, believe that any spoilt child — a spoilt youngster actually— is bound to mend his or her ways once she or he gets married.
► During the ceremony, the mullah told Anjali that she would need a Muslim name for the nikah, while her Hindu name would be in brackets. ‘Zainab,’ Anjali said instantly. ‘You can keep my name Zainab.’ I was completely shocked and looked at her wide-eyed in silent bewilderment. How did she come up with a random name like that on the spot? Your name is your identity. How could you change it just like that?
► Approximately three years after our wedding, Anjali decided to rename herself.
Excerpts from An Ordinary Life, A Memoir, by Nawazuddin Siddiqui with Rituparna Chatterjee, and published by Penguin Random House India
In Bollywood, the heroine is still a prop and the hero must dance and shoot people-Nawazuddin Siddiqui
8:01 AM
Sharmila Ganesan Ram (THE TIMES OF INDIA; October 22, 2017)
As if to casually justify the title of his soon-to-release memoir 'An Ordinary Life', a pyjama-clad Nawazuddin Siddiqui is sitting on the velvet sofa of his Andheri office with his legs folded under him.
Ash-grey lips alternating between sips of green tea and long drags from a freshly rolled-up cigarette, the red-eyed actor says he owns two "high-tech" homes nearby but their lavishness alienates the rustic in him. Both in person and in his new memoir co-authored by writer Rituparna Chatterjee, Siddiqui seems reluctant to fully embrace his ascent from the dung cake-laden walls of Budhana village in western UP to the red carpet of Cannes.
In Budhana, Siddiqui — the eldest of eight — grew up washing buffaloes, wrestling to develop muscles in vain, and declaring his love to a girl by sticking romantic notes to kites. Not only was he the first to don a pair of jeans here but also the first to become a graduate. What followed was a stint at a petrochemical firm in Vadodara, the discovery of theatre there, National School of Drama, day job as security guard in Noida, a 12-year-long struggle in Bombay, marriage, divorce, marriage, daughter, son and, finally, success. He talks to Sharmila Ganesan Ram about the power of lies, Saadat Hasan Manto's honesty and the things he can't talk about
You've shared many personal details such as your series of relationships. Were you ever worried about the reactions?
I wanted to be honest as this is a memoir after all but I am also nervous because I have named many women that I either had crushes on or had affairs with. I don't know how my wife will react to that. But I'm not that worried about (public) reactions as I'm not a trend-following, market-pleasing actor.
Why were you called 'Risky Pehelwan' in Budhana?
I was very weak so my mother enrolled me to train under wrestler Mullah Pehelwan. He used to think I was brilliant but weak. Kushti matches in our village used to be hour-long events typically but in my case, either the opponent would defeat me or I would defeat him, all within a minute. So I was called Risky Pehelwan.
How does Budhana react to your success?
People there shower me with love but there's one particular relative of mine — in his sixties — who still refuses to believe that the guy he is seeing on screen is me. There is a cinema hall in our village now and every time I am on, he turns to the person on the next seat and says this isn't Nawazuddin but someone who looks and sounds like him.
Your mother was shortlisted by the BBC as one of 100 most influential women recently. Tell us more.
She used to live in a village smaller than Budhana in a mud hut. She was unlettered, started her education only after marriage and went on to coach 150 to 300 kids, some of whom are now in the army and some are doing government jobs.
What did your struggle in Bombay entail?
It started with bit roles in crime serials on TV but soon after, the Ekta Kapoor era came up and TV turned glossy. As many TV serials would be shot in the evening, no one wanted dark-complexioned actors whose faces could not be seen when it was overcast. This would mean extra expenditure on lights. Then came bit roles in films such as Sarfarosh where I would get beaten up. I even did C-grade films with the famous Joginder. One was called Bindiya Maange Bandook.
Your first car was a second-hand Maruti Esteem?
Yes. It was the first big thing I bought from my paycheck for Rs 75000 but it got stolen once and I spent the whole night looking for it. I had a shoot that morning for a film but I couldn't remember the dialogues. In the scene, the actress Shefali Shah had to slap me but she was gentle. So I asked her to slap me hard and when she did, I woke up and was able to remember the dialogues.
Did your stint as a chemist inform your acting in any way?
I used to conduct purity checks on crude oil at a petrochemical factory in Vadodara. What science has taught me is accuracy of measurement which I try to bring into acting by measuring my emotions. Not getting overly sentimental in a sad scene for instance. Foreign-educated directors always say, "do less".
Is Bollywood changing?
Like the 17th century playwright Moliere who would repeat the same type of characters in every play, Bollywood has a set of stock characters — a hero, a heroine, and a comedian. The actress is a prop with a butt and boobs who has no job except to love the hero. The hero must dance and shoot 10 to 15 people unnecessarily. There's no reference to his job or her intellect. Even though that is changing and many are showing courage to do something substantial, there are actors who are turning down good roles to pander to the same kind of cinema.
Where does the star system of Bollywood leave the script?
Many stars get stories written for themselves. They are busy making projects instead of films.
Do characters change you?
Of course. Every character gives as well as takes from you. I'm playing writer Saadat Hasan Manto in a new film and his sensibility resonates deeply with me. He stood for honesty and courage and exposed the society's hypocrisy. I wanted to enter his inner world so I listened to old songs, read him and his contemporaries such as Ismat Chugtai and Premchand and even imagined them having conversations filled not just with mutual admiration but also ego clashes.
Are you able to say things through cinema that you are itching to say in real life but can't?
For sure. For instance, I can't and won't comment on the political climate because I have seen what happened to those who did. But I can channel my urges and my frustrations through my characters. In a famous scene in Raman Raghav 2.0, my serial killer character tells a cop: "Maarte toh aap bhi ho. Par fark yeh hai aap dharam, desh aur insaniyat ka sahara leke maarte ho aur main bas maze ke liye maarta hoon (You kill and so do I. The only difference is you use the crutch of religion, nation or humanity for murder whereas I just kill for fun)." This is so relevant to what is happening in the world now.
As if to casually justify the title of his soon-to-release memoir 'An Ordinary Life', a pyjama-clad Nawazuddin Siddiqui is sitting on the velvet sofa of his Andheri office with his legs folded under him.
Ash-grey lips alternating between sips of green tea and long drags from a freshly rolled-up cigarette, the red-eyed actor says he owns two "high-tech" homes nearby but their lavishness alienates the rustic in him. Both in person and in his new memoir co-authored by writer Rituparna Chatterjee, Siddiqui seems reluctant to fully embrace his ascent from the dung cake-laden walls of Budhana village in western UP to the red carpet of Cannes.
In Budhana, Siddiqui — the eldest of eight — grew up washing buffaloes, wrestling to develop muscles in vain, and declaring his love to a girl by sticking romantic notes to kites. Not only was he the first to don a pair of jeans here but also the first to become a graduate. What followed was a stint at a petrochemical firm in Vadodara, the discovery of theatre there, National School of Drama, day job as security guard in Noida, a 12-year-long struggle in Bombay, marriage, divorce, marriage, daughter, son and, finally, success. He talks to Sharmila Ganesan Ram about the power of lies, Saadat Hasan Manto's honesty and the things he can't talk about
You've shared many personal details such as your series of relationships. Were you ever worried about the reactions?
I wanted to be honest as this is a memoir after all but I am also nervous because I have named many women that I either had crushes on or had affairs with. I don't know how my wife will react to that. But I'm not that worried about (public) reactions as I'm not a trend-following, market-pleasing actor.
Why were you called 'Risky Pehelwan' in Budhana?
I was very weak so my mother enrolled me to train under wrestler Mullah Pehelwan. He used to think I was brilliant but weak. Kushti matches in our village used to be hour-long events typically but in my case, either the opponent would defeat me or I would defeat him, all within a minute. So I was called Risky Pehelwan.
How does Budhana react to your success?
People there shower me with love but there's one particular relative of mine — in his sixties — who still refuses to believe that the guy he is seeing on screen is me. There is a cinema hall in our village now and every time I am on, he turns to the person on the next seat and says this isn't Nawazuddin but someone who looks and sounds like him.
Your mother was shortlisted by the BBC as one of 100 most influential women recently. Tell us more.
She used to live in a village smaller than Budhana in a mud hut. She was unlettered, started her education only after marriage and went on to coach 150 to 300 kids, some of whom are now in the army and some are doing government jobs.
What did your struggle in Bombay entail?
It started with bit roles in crime serials on TV but soon after, the Ekta Kapoor era came up and TV turned glossy. As many TV serials would be shot in the evening, no one wanted dark-complexioned actors whose faces could not be seen when it was overcast. This would mean extra expenditure on lights. Then came bit roles in films such as Sarfarosh where I would get beaten up. I even did C-grade films with the famous Joginder. One was called Bindiya Maange Bandook.
Your first car was a second-hand Maruti Esteem?
Yes. It was the first big thing I bought from my paycheck for Rs 75000 but it got stolen once and I spent the whole night looking for it. I had a shoot that morning for a film but I couldn't remember the dialogues. In the scene, the actress Shefali Shah had to slap me but she was gentle. So I asked her to slap me hard and when she did, I woke up and was able to remember the dialogues.
Did your stint as a chemist inform your acting in any way?
I used to conduct purity checks on crude oil at a petrochemical factory in Vadodara. What science has taught me is accuracy of measurement which I try to bring into acting by measuring my emotions. Not getting overly sentimental in a sad scene for instance. Foreign-educated directors always say, "do less".
Is Bollywood changing?
Like the 17th century playwright Moliere who would repeat the same type of characters in every play, Bollywood has a set of stock characters — a hero, a heroine, and a comedian. The actress is a prop with a butt and boobs who has no job except to love the hero. The hero must dance and shoot 10 to 15 people unnecessarily. There's no reference to his job or her intellect. Even though that is changing and many are showing courage to do something substantial, there are actors who are turning down good roles to pander to the same kind of cinema.
Where does the star system of Bollywood leave the script?
Many stars get stories written for themselves. They are busy making projects instead of films.
Do characters change you?
Of course. Every character gives as well as takes from you. I'm playing writer Saadat Hasan Manto in a new film and his sensibility resonates deeply with me. He stood for honesty and courage and exposed the society's hypocrisy. I wanted to enter his inner world so I listened to old songs, read him and his contemporaries such as Ismat Chugtai and Premchand and even imagined them having conversations filled not just with mutual admiration but also ego clashes.
Are you able to say things through cinema that you are itching to say in real life but can't?
For sure. For instance, I can't and won't comment on the political climate because I have seen what happened to those who did. But I can channel my urges and my frustrations through my characters. In a famous scene in Raman Raghav 2.0, my serial killer character tells a cop: "Maarte toh aap bhi ho. Par fark yeh hai aap dharam, desh aur insaniyat ka sahara leke maarte ho aur main bas maze ke liye maarta hoon (You kill and so do I. The only difference is you use the crutch of religion, nation or humanity for murder whereas I just kill for fun)." This is so relevant to what is happening in the world now.
I still wake up at 4 am when I'm in my village and sprinkle water in the fields-Nawazuddin Siddiqui
7:39 AM
As told to Avinash Lohana (MUMBAI MIRROR; August 14, 2017)
I come from Budhana, a small
town in the Muzaffarnagar district of Uttar Pradesh. My grandfather was
a farmer, so was my father. I started going to the fields at the age
of 10 and tilled the land till I was 22 when I left for Vadodara to
pursue further studies. I started out as a chemist there, developed an
interest in acting and took off to Delhi to learn it professionally at
the National School of Drama (NSD). Today, I am based in Mumbai but I
still have fond memories of Budhana when my day used to start as early
as 4.30 am.As soon as I woke up I would head for the fields, drawing water from the tubewell for irrigation. The water had to be systematically distributed, it couldn't be allowed to collect in one place and go waste. At my time we didn't have tractor, so we'd plough with a hoe or use bulls. At 10 am I would get ready and leave for school. Most of the work was done in the morning but I'd still go to the fields for a stroll every evening because I enjoyed being there. We grew cash and food crops, mostly rice and sugarcane. I had once sold sugarcanes and gave the money straight to my father. Sometimes I'd joke that if that transaction could only happen without a receipt, I would have kept a percentage for myself. We've always had a comfortable life but I remember farmers losing a lot of money when insects destroyed crops. I'd feel really sad because I know how many compromises they had to make following such losses. When I went to Cannes in early 2016, I had met a bunch of French filmmakers who were also farmers from Nice. They introduced me to a unique irrigation technique called centre pivot, which helps farmers save on water and electricity. I want to introduce this technique in my village over the next two to four months.
Given my busy schedule, I don't get so much time to visit my gaon often, but whenever I'm there I still wake up at 4 am and sprinkle water in the fields. My children, Shora and Yani, also love it there and are playing in the fields all day. I have a farmhouse in Karasa now where I grow fruits and vegetables through organic farming, a method practiced even in my farms in Budhana. Farming is in my blood and there are times when I really miss the fields.
Superstars have an aura, but as an actor, I don't get intimidated by anyone's stardom-Nawazuddin Siddiqui
8:10 AM
Madhureeta Mukherjee (BOMBAY TIMES; July 4, 2017)
A man with stars in his eyes
comes from a village to the big city of Mumbai - a hotbed for dazzling
dreams. He struggles for fifteen long years while feeding off small
roles, hungry for more and always hopeful.Then finally, he gets his
golden turn. To show the world the talent that he has been honing for
decades. Well, this is what human stories are made of - triumphant and
inspiring. And even after all this, nothing has changed the man. He's
simple, no frills, small on showbaazi, big on talent and truly grateful
for it all. With his next, Mom, directed by Ravi Udyawar, ready to
release this week, Nawazuddin Siddiqui talks about his struggles,
stardom and stigmas.In his own style - simple and straight from the
heart. Read on...
You have been an actor for decades, but you shot into limelight after films like Gangs Of Wasseypur and Kahaani. From then to now, we have seen a change in you. As a public figure, you seem to be more at ease and comfortable with yourself...
Yes, there has been a change, but I still don't feel too comfortable on public platforms. I go for very few events and even when I'm on an international platform, I'm slightly uncomfortable. When we are abroad at some film festival, we move around in a group that includes the director, producer and co-actors. So, even if I get a little conscious, I'm not alone and get a boost looking at my colleagues. But when I'm all by myself, I'm a little wary of being judged. You give me any character and I'll pull it off, but as a public figure, I tend to get conscious.
Do you feel that now, people are more accepting of you the way you are?
This is how I am. Kabhi kabhi dar lagta hai ki mein sab ke jaisa ho jaunga toh artificial lagunga. The typical star behaviour will never come to me naturally, so even if I struggle to behave that way, I will look fake. If people don't have a problem with me being the way I am, toh bahut achha hai.
Was the change in your lifestyle very drastic for you? How did people close to you in Mumbai and in your village react to your fame and success?
Sometimes, I still don't believe I am all that famous. When I go to smaller towns, the people there feel, 'Yeh to hamare jaisa hi hai.' They feel confident that if I can do this, so can they. Yes, the change was very drastic; it took some time to get comfortable with it. There was a time when I would head out on my own and no one would bother at all. Now, for my safety, I need some people around me. I don't get such treatment at home. Family mujhe iss tarah ka bhaav nahi deti. Meri beti bhi mujhe daant deti hai. Even when I go back to my village, for the first two days people are a little conscious. They don't easily come around and hang out with me right away .After a day, when they see that I am reaching out to them, they feel assured that I am still the same Nawaz. I have farmed in that village for 30 years. Wahan mere itne dost hain, sab ke saath kaam kiya hain, and nothing can change those bonds.
I'm sure that at some point, the same people must have reacted with shock to your decision to be a Bollywood actor. They probably dissuaded you, too?
Till about 20 years ago, a star was supposed to have some typical attributes, like they had to be tall, fair, well-built and handsome. Well, I obviously didn't meet any of those standards. So, people around me felt that I didn't fit the bill. They would tell me, 'Kyun koshish kar raha hai?' But when I became a successful actor, they were the ones who were the happiest. Aaj bhi mujhe leke bada achambha hota hai un logon ko ki ....yeh star bana kaise.
In an industry where physical attributes matter so much, how did you fight that stigma?
There's a reason I took 16 years to get to where I am today. Actor toh main pehle bhi tha, lekin yahan pahunchne ke liye bahut stig mas fight kiye hain. I was told in so many words that I don't look like an actor. When I went to production houses and said that I am an actor, they didn't believe it. I would then show them a live demo and that would leave them confused about what they can do with me. Today, things have changed; even stars want to play strong characters. There has been a huge shift in perception where mainstream heroes are experimenting with characters and character actors are playing lead roles in mainstream films.
Now, do you consciously work on your looks and styling?
I still don't focus on these aspects. I pay up a year's fee for my gym membership, but I end up using it for about only five or six times in a year. As for my clothes, I am not brand conscious. Main glamorous parties aur events mein nahi jaata, so I don't even need such clothes. Kaam kiya, uske baad seedha ghar jaata hoon. I'm one of those actors who give their shot and move out of the spotlight. People say that it is important to socialise and network. I don't think so, because there are so many people who do that, but they don't have work. Yahan aapke liye kaam hoga toh aapko qabr se nikaal laayenge, aur agar kaam nahi hoga toh aapko qabr mein pahuncha denge.
Your relationship with Mumbai is very special. Even during your struggling days, you had made up your mind that you wouldn't leave the city...
Have you seen the waves along Mumbai's shores? They throw you out but they also take you in. Mumbai is like that. I've lived in so many places around Andheri. When I didn't have money to travel, I would walk from Four Bungalows to Film City (Goregaon). It took me two hours, but I did it. I've practically seen this city on foot. I remember so many places where I would stop by for chai or sasta khana late into the night. Back then, I wasn't sure if I'd get a meal the next day in the afternoon, but I would ensure that I got some dinner before going to bed. Paise ka jugaad ho jaata tha, nahi toh jo dost TV serial mein kaam karte the, unko kisi tarah emotional blackmail karke khaana kha leta. Now when I see those spots, there is a sense of uneasiness. In my heart, I thank God that my life is not as tough anymore. I also pray that I don't have to face those struggles again. Yes, those experiences make you a better actor, but the fight for two square meals a day shouldn't happen to anyone. Main toh bach gaya lekin kuch log uss struggle ke baad pagal aur eccentric ho jaate hain. They leave everything behind and go back to where they came from. Such struggles can kill your talent.
I am sure that for years, you followed the work of so many actors from our industry, and today, you are working with some of the biggest names. Were you ever in awe of the superstars with whom you've worked?
Yeh itne bade superstars hain toh ek awe toh hota hai, but scene karte waqt nahi. They have an aura and you can't ignore their star power. As an actor, I don't get intimidated by anyone's stardom. When I am acting with them, I am not in awe of them. While performing a scene, if I keep thinking that the person standing in front of me is Shah Rukh Khan, then I'm insulting the character that he's playing. It also shows that I'm getting corrupt as an actor because I can't differentiate between an actor and character. I will quit acting the day I can't differentiate an actor from a character; or the day I get intimidated by a co-actor while doing a scene. I've worked with theatre stalwarts and done about 5,000 street plays. That's my foundation as an actor. Actors can never become bigger than a scene or the film. Not even a stalwart like Robert DeNiro.
There
is a flip side to stardom, as actors who are put on that pedestal are
expected to repeat the similar act every time. In a sense, they get
typecast...
In my case, main typecast hua hi nahi. Jo typical hero hote hai, they get typecast. Unko darr hota hai uss cheez ka, as some of them have been heroes for 25 years now. The term 'hero' is what leads to actors getting typecast. Even if that hero has range, no one cares to tap it. So, he starts doing clichéd roles because that's what works for the filmmakers. Today, if I have the chance to offer variety in my performance, why would I let go of that? I have a special role in Mom and I enjoyed doing it. I don't want to slip into a comfort zone. For me, the most difficult part is dancing. My mind and body struggle to do it. I will be seen dancing in Munna Michael, let's see how it goes.
Very few get a chance to work with an actress like Sridevi. What was your reaction when you were offered a part with her?
I've seen a lot of world cinema and according to me, Srideviji is the most talented actress in Bollywood. I have watched all her films and I have observed how she plays it differently each time. I didn't even read the script of Mom and I gave a go ahead to Boney sir. My main reason for working in the film was that I was getting a chance to share screen space with Srideviji. For me, the size of the role does not matter but how strong it is and how it's making a difference to me as an actor and the movie.
According to you, which is your finest performances?
Well, whatever work you do only adds to your experience and helps you improvise. I have a lot of years ahead of me. I don't want to analyse which is my best work till now. Yes, Gangs Of Wasseypur was a turning point. After that film released, I received 175 scripts. Woh time pe mujhe galat choices se bachna tha. Logon ne blank cheques diye mujhe and they were willing to move their dates to fit me in. For someone who has struggled for 15 years to get two meals a day, it was very tempting. Mere aage bahut seniors hain joh stars bane aur gire kyunki unhone galat choices li. I don't run after money. It might sound like I am boasting... par mujhe itna kaabil banna hai ki paisa mere peeche aaye, main uske peeche nahi. If it is possible, then why not? Main aur bahut mehnat kar sakta hoon, aur koi mujhe rok nahin sakta.
You have been an actor for decades, but you shot into limelight after films like Gangs Of Wasseypur and Kahaani. From then to now, we have seen a change in you. As a public figure, you seem to be more at ease and comfortable with yourself...
Yes, there has been a change, but I still don't feel too comfortable on public platforms. I go for very few events and even when I'm on an international platform, I'm slightly uncomfortable. When we are abroad at some film festival, we move around in a group that includes the director, producer and co-actors. So, even if I get a little conscious, I'm not alone and get a boost looking at my colleagues. But when I'm all by myself, I'm a little wary of being judged. You give me any character and I'll pull it off, but as a public figure, I tend to get conscious.
Do you feel that now, people are more accepting of you the way you are?
This is how I am. Kabhi kabhi dar lagta hai ki mein sab ke jaisa ho jaunga toh artificial lagunga. The typical star behaviour will never come to me naturally, so even if I struggle to behave that way, I will look fake. If people don't have a problem with me being the way I am, toh bahut achha hai.
Was the change in your lifestyle very drastic for you? How did people close to you in Mumbai and in your village react to your fame and success?
Sometimes, I still don't believe I am all that famous. When I go to smaller towns, the people there feel, 'Yeh to hamare jaisa hi hai.' They feel confident that if I can do this, so can they. Yes, the change was very drastic; it took some time to get comfortable with it. There was a time when I would head out on my own and no one would bother at all. Now, for my safety, I need some people around me. I don't get such treatment at home. Family mujhe iss tarah ka bhaav nahi deti. Meri beti bhi mujhe daant deti hai. Even when I go back to my village, for the first two days people are a little conscious. They don't easily come around and hang out with me right away .After a day, when they see that I am reaching out to them, they feel assured that I am still the same Nawaz. I have farmed in that village for 30 years. Wahan mere itne dost hain, sab ke saath kaam kiya hain, and nothing can change those bonds.
I'm sure that at some point, the same people must have reacted with shock to your decision to be a Bollywood actor. They probably dissuaded you, too?
Till about 20 years ago, a star was supposed to have some typical attributes, like they had to be tall, fair, well-built and handsome. Well, I obviously didn't meet any of those standards. So, people around me felt that I didn't fit the bill. They would tell me, 'Kyun koshish kar raha hai?' But when I became a successful actor, they were the ones who were the happiest. Aaj bhi mujhe leke bada achambha hota hai un logon ko ki ....yeh star bana kaise.
In an industry where physical attributes matter so much, how did you fight that stigma?
There's a reason I took 16 years to get to where I am today. Actor toh main pehle bhi tha, lekin yahan pahunchne ke liye bahut stig mas fight kiye hain. I was told in so many words that I don't look like an actor. When I went to production houses and said that I am an actor, they didn't believe it. I would then show them a live demo and that would leave them confused about what they can do with me. Today, things have changed; even stars want to play strong characters. There has been a huge shift in perception where mainstream heroes are experimenting with characters and character actors are playing lead roles in mainstream films.
Now, do you consciously work on your looks and styling?
I still don't focus on these aspects. I pay up a year's fee for my gym membership, but I end up using it for about only five or six times in a year. As for my clothes, I am not brand conscious. Main glamorous parties aur events mein nahi jaata, so I don't even need such clothes. Kaam kiya, uske baad seedha ghar jaata hoon. I'm one of those actors who give their shot and move out of the spotlight. People say that it is important to socialise and network. I don't think so, because there are so many people who do that, but they don't have work. Yahan aapke liye kaam hoga toh aapko qabr se nikaal laayenge, aur agar kaam nahi hoga toh aapko qabr mein pahuncha denge.
Your relationship with Mumbai is very special. Even during your struggling days, you had made up your mind that you wouldn't leave the city...
Have you seen the waves along Mumbai's shores? They throw you out but they also take you in. Mumbai is like that. I've lived in so many places around Andheri. When I didn't have money to travel, I would walk from Four Bungalows to Film City (Goregaon). It took me two hours, but I did it. I've practically seen this city on foot. I remember so many places where I would stop by for chai or sasta khana late into the night. Back then, I wasn't sure if I'd get a meal the next day in the afternoon, but I would ensure that I got some dinner before going to bed. Paise ka jugaad ho jaata tha, nahi toh jo dost TV serial mein kaam karte the, unko kisi tarah emotional blackmail karke khaana kha leta. Now when I see those spots, there is a sense of uneasiness. In my heart, I thank God that my life is not as tough anymore. I also pray that I don't have to face those struggles again. Yes, those experiences make you a better actor, but the fight for two square meals a day shouldn't happen to anyone. Main toh bach gaya lekin kuch log uss struggle ke baad pagal aur eccentric ho jaate hain. They leave everything behind and go back to where they came from. Such struggles can kill your talent.
I am sure that for years, you followed the work of so many actors from our industry, and today, you are working with some of the biggest names. Were you ever in awe of the superstars with whom you've worked?
Yeh itne bade superstars hain toh ek awe toh hota hai, but scene karte waqt nahi. They have an aura and you can't ignore their star power. As an actor, I don't get intimidated by anyone's stardom. When I am acting with them, I am not in awe of them. While performing a scene, if I keep thinking that the person standing in front of me is Shah Rukh Khan, then I'm insulting the character that he's playing. It also shows that I'm getting corrupt as an actor because I can't differentiate between an actor and character. I will quit acting the day I can't differentiate an actor from a character; or the day I get intimidated by a co-actor while doing a scene. I've worked with theatre stalwarts and done about 5,000 street plays. That's my foundation as an actor. Actors can never become bigger than a scene or the film. Not even a stalwart like Robert DeNiro.
In my case, main typecast hua hi nahi. Jo typical hero hote hai, they get typecast. Unko darr hota hai uss cheez ka, as some of them have been heroes for 25 years now. The term 'hero' is what leads to actors getting typecast. Even if that hero has range, no one cares to tap it. So, he starts doing clichéd roles because that's what works for the filmmakers. Today, if I have the chance to offer variety in my performance, why would I let go of that? I have a special role in Mom and I enjoyed doing it. I don't want to slip into a comfort zone. For me, the most difficult part is dancing. My mind and body struggle to do it. I will be seen dancing in Munna Michael, let's see how it goes.
Very few get a chance to work with an actress like Sridevi. What was your reaction when you were offered a part with her?
I've seen a lot of world cinema and according to me, Srideviji is the most talented actress in Bollywood. I have watched all her films and I have observed how she plays it differently each time. I didn't even read the script of Mom and I gave a go ahead to Boney sir. My main reason for working in the film was that I was getting a chance to share screen space with Srideviji. For me, the size of the role does not matter but how strong it is and how it's making a difference to me as an actor and the movie.
According to you, which is your finest performances?
Well, whatever work you do only adds to your experience and helps you improvise. I have a lot of years ahead of me. I don't want to analyse which is my best work till now. Yes, Gangs Of Wasseypur was a turning point. After that film released, I received 175 scripts. Woh time pe mujhe galat choices se bachna tha. Logon ne blank cheques diye mujhe and they were willing to move their dates to fit me in. For someone who has struggled for 15 years to get two meals a day, it was very tempting. Mere aage bahut seniors hain joh stars bane aur gire kyunki unhone galat choices li. I don't run after money. It might sound like I am boasting... par mujhe itna kaabil banna hai ki paisa mere peeche aaye, main uske peeche nahi. If it is possible, then why not? Main aur bahut mehnat kar sakta hoon, aur koi mujhe rok nahin sakta.
Nawazuddin Siddiqui to shoot for Babumoshai Bandookbaaz in his hometown Budhana
7:44 AM
Natasha Coutinho (MUMBAI MIRROR; June 9, 2017)
Nawazuddin Siddiqui is all set to take his new film home in Budhana. The team of Babumoshai Bandookbaaz,
in which Nawaz plays a sharp-shooter, will shoot the last portion of
the film in his hometown. “The film is shot in Lucknow but we kept an
action sequence for the end. We will go to Budhana next week to shoot
for a day. Nawaz had suggested the location and it fit our requirement,”
director Kushan Nandy said, recounting that the team was once shooting a
sequence in a train without a permit. “It was a five-hour journey that
began at 4 am. We had to hide the camera everytime a ticket collector
appeared. Finally, a cop in plain clothes caught us and let us go only
after getting a picture clicked with Nawaz.”
After assault & ransom call, actor Nawazuddin Siddiqui's kin mulls leaving Uttar Pradesh
8:03 AM
Sandeep Rai (THE TIMES OF INDIA; October 30, 2016)
Two days after a ransom call
of Rs 1 crore to Nawazuddin Siddiqui's family in Muzaffarnagar and a
subsequent assault on his brother there, the Bollywood actor's family is
contemplating leaving UP for good. “The lives of our family members
are in extreme danger. So the entire family, currently staying in
Budhana, is planning to shift to Uttarakhand,“ said Nawazuddin's
Mumbai-based brother Shamas Nawab.
Both the police and the Siddiqui family, however, are convinced that the phone call that came to one of the brothers, Faizuddin, on Thursday afternoon that demanded a ransom of Rs 1 crore was from the family members of Afreen, the estranged wife of another brother, Majuddin.
Afreen's kin had filed a police complaint on September 28 alleging that Nawazuddin and his three siblings - Faizuddin, Majuddin and sister Saima - had physically assaulted her although she was three months pregnant, for not bringing in enough dowry and refusing her husband's demand for unnatural sex.
According to the police complaint filed by Majuddin on Friday, his elder brother Faizuddin, who was travelling to Lucknow on Thursday, got a call from an anonymous number to shell out Rs 1 crore or face consequences.
Minazuddin, another brother of Nawazuddin, revealed that Nooruddin and his associates were tormenting the family because of the immense success of Nawazuddin as a Bollywood actor.
D K Tyagi, station officer of Budhana police station, said, “From the contents of the complaint, the needle of suspicion is clearly pointing towards Nooruddin and others, but on Saturday we have begun the process of tracing the number and will soon get to know the real culprit behind the mischief.“
Two days after a ransom call
of Rs 1 crore to Nawazuddin Siddiqui's family in Muzaffarnagar and a
subsequent assault on his brother there, the Bollywood actor's family is
contemplating leaving UP for good. “The lives of our family members
are in extreme danger. So the entire family, currently staying in
Budhana, is planning to shift to Uttarakhand,“ said Nawazuddin's
Mumbai-based brother Shamas Nawab.Both the police and the Siddiqui family, however, are convinced that the phone call that came to one of the brothers, Faizuddin, on Thursday afternoon that demanded a ransom of Rs 1 crore was from the family members of Afreen, the estranged wife of another brother, Majuddin.
Afreen's kin had filed a police complaint on September 28 alleging that Nawazuddin and his three siblings - Faizuddin, Majuddin and sister Saima - had physically assaulted her although she was three months pregnant, for not bringing in enough dowry and refusing her husband's demand for unnatural sex.
According to the police complaint filed by Majuddin on Friday, his elder brother Faizuddin, who was travelling to Lucknow on Thursday, got a call from an anonymous number to shell out Rs 1 crore or face consequences.
Minazuddin, another brother of Nawazuddin, revealed that Nooruddin and his associates were tormenting the family because of the immense success of Nawazuddin as a Bollywood actor.
D K Tyagi, station officer of Budhana police station, said, “From the contents of the complaint, the needle of suspicion is clearly pointing towards Nooruddin and others, but on Saturday we have begun the process of tracing the number and will soon get to know the real culprit behind the mischief.“
I have nothing to hide; my conscience is clear-Nawazuddin Siddiqui
8:01 AM
Nawazuddin Siddiqui comes clean on a recent spate of controversies
Shaheen Parkar (MID-DAY; October 10, 2016)
Back in Mumbai over the weekend, Nawazuddin Siddiqui would rather forget what happened during his recent trip to hometown Budhana in Uttar Pradesh. First, he found himself embroiled in a dowry and domestic abuse case filed by his brother’s wife, Aafreen, who alleged that he kicked her in the stomach. Second, he was forced to pull out of a Ram Leela programme, something that had got him hooked to acting, after right wing activists objected to his participation on religious grounds. With back-to-back controversies, the actor would understandably be shaken, but he insists he isn’t. Edited excerpts from a chat:
How would you describe your current state of mind?
I am relaxed now. People in the village know exactly what happened; they know the truth. I was dragged into the domestic abuse case. As for not being part of Ram Leela, I understood the situation; peace had to prevail.
You visited your hometown after long, but it was far from memorable.
Yes, I was looking forward to a break after a long gap. It’s been years that I spent so many days back home. I thought I would catch up with everyone as I had time off, and all of this happened.
What do you think made your sister-in-law accuse you of domestic abuse?
It came as a shock. When she levelled allegations, it became big news. But now that the truth is out, the news has suddenly fizzled out. I have nothing against the girl. In fact, I had played matchmaker and organised the marriage earlier this year. The girl is from Delhi, but her relatives are in Budhana. I have known her family since long. Her allegations are false. She did it (filed harassment case) at the behest of her uncle. He was siphoning off money and she fell prey to his plans. The night the incident took place, they thought everyone had gone to sleep. Her uncle turned up at the house and created a scene. They ran away with all the gold jewellery that was given to her during her wedding. They probably assumed that the CCTV camera at home was not working, given frequent power cuts in the village, but thank God, the inverters were on. Everything has been captured on camera.
So, you never kicked her?
I do not raise my voice even with my wife (Anjali), so where is the question of kicking her in the stomach? I do not want to say anything in my defence; the truth will tumble out sooner rather than later. Almost 80 per cent of such (domestic abuse) cases are cooked up.
Do you think you are paying a price for being a celebrity?
Back in the village, I am like everyone else. Yes, they dragged me into it because they knew they would get attention. They went to the cops and called the media; they had a plan in place.
So, you are blameless?
I have nothing to hide; my conscience is clear. The law will take its own course and truth will prevail.
Nawazuddin Siddiqui was to play Mareech in Ramlila but right wing plays villain
8:18 AM
Nawazuddin Siddiqui's childhood hope of acting in the Ramlila was dashed rather dramatically when he was prevented from going on stage to play Mareech in his Muzaffarnagar village after the Shiv Sena protested against a Muslim taking part
Abhimanyu Mathur (BOMBAY TIMES; October 7, 2016)
Nawazuddin Siddiqui's visit
to his village, the hamlet of Budhana in Muzaffarnagar, has turned out
to be unusually unpleasant. For a week, he has been countering
allegations of assault and dowry harassment levelled by his
sister-in-law against him and his family. And now, after he had agreed
to play a small role in the local Ramlila of his hometown, the
performance was stopped by the Shiv Sena, who objected to 'a Muslim
actor being on stage in the Ramlila'.
On Tuesday, Nawaz was approached by artists from Budhana's Ramlila, asking him to attend the function. When the actor insisted that he was willing to play even some minor part in the production, the crew arranged for him to play Mareech on Wednesday. “People had come to invite me for the Ramlila and I asked them if I could play a character in it, since it was something I had always wanted to do. They offered me the role of Mareech, since it was the only one that was to be staged before I had to leave for Delhi,“ the actor had happily told us before he went on stage.
However, on Wednesday night, minutes before Nawaz was to go on stage, around a dozen activists from the local unit of Shiv Sena asked the organisers to stop the performance because they were against 'a Muslim actor going on stage in a Ramlila'. Mukesh Sharma, the Shiv Sena's Muzaffarnagar vice president, told us, “In the 50-60 year history of the Budhana Ramlila, no Muslim artist has set foot on the stage. We couldn't allow that now. It's about tradition. On top of that, it is wrong on the part of the Ramlila organisers to chuck out the actor who was initially supposed to play Mareech at the last minute, just so that they could have a famous actor on stage. Moreover, Nawazuddin is a disputed figure here. His sister-in-law has levelled allegations of assault and dowry harassment against him. We shouldn't have such a person associated with the Ramlila.“
After the Shiv Sena's protest, the organisers decided to call off the Ramlila for the night, which meant that Nawaz could not take the stage in front of his home crowd. The organisers say that it was the actors performing in the Ramlila who had spoken to Nawaz, and they were not in the loop on the whole development. Damodar Sharma, president of Budhana's Ramlila Committee, says, “The committee wasn't informed in time about Nawazuddin playing Mareech. It was a decision taken by the artists. We got to know only two hours before the performance and before we could request for additional police presence, the protesters reached the spot. We realised that given Budhana is a communally sensitive area, it would not be wise to argue with them. Hence, we decided not to proceed with it.“
It would have been Nawaz's first performance in his hometown, Budhana, and he had told us that his family and friends were very excited at the prospect of seeing him act. Before the protest, he had told us, “All day, my family and friends had been texting all our acquaintances in town and everyone is very excited to see me act. Everyone has come. For me, it is special because it is the first time I will be acting in my hometown. That was a desire I had since I was a kid.“
Police officials say that they were not asked for any additional security, and it was the decision of the Ramlila organisers not to go ahead with Nawaz's performance. DK Tyagi, SHO, Budhana, says, “We had deployed our men there, as we do every year, but there was no law and order issue. It must have been a decision by the organisers not to stage the Ramlila, because there was no insistence or pressure from our side. The two sides talked and reached some agreement themselves. We were not asked to intervene. In fact, if Nawazuddin Siddiqui performs on stage now, we will provide security and ensure there is no problem at the venue.“
Before this unfortunate development, Nawaz had told DT that acting in Budhana's Ramlila had been a childhood dream for him. When asked why performing in the Ramlila meant so much to him, the actor had said, “When I was growing up here, there was boy named Madan who used to play Ram in the local Ramlila. Even though he was my age, we all used to respect him be cause of the aura around him, since he was Ram. I used to be fascinated by that. Toh tab se hi khwahish thi ki mujhe bhi Ramlila mein perform karna hai.“
-------------------------------
MUMBAI MIRROR (October 7, 2016)
On Tuesday, Nawaz was approached by artists from Budhana's Ramlila, asking him to attend the function. When the actor insisted that he was willing to play even some minor part in the production, the crew arranged for him to play Mareech on Wednesday. “People had come to invite me for the Ramlila and I asked them if I could play a character in it, since it was something I had always wanted to do. They offered me the role of Mareech, since it was the only one that was to be staged before I had to leave for Delhi,“ the actor had happily told us before he went on stage.
However, on Wednesday night, minutes before Nawaz was to go on stage, around a dozen activists from the local unit of Shiv Sena asked the organisers to stop the performance because they were against 'a Muslim actor going on stage in a Ramlila'. Mukesh Sharma, the Shiv Sena's Muzaffarnagar vice president, told us, “In the 50-60 year history of the Budhana Ramlila, no Muslim artist has set foot on the stage. We couldn't allow that now. It's about tradition. On top of that, it is wrong on the part of the Ramlila organisers to chuck out the actor who was initially supposed to play Mareech at the last minute, just so that they could have a famous actor on stage. Moreover, Nawazuddin is a disputed figure here. His sister-in-law has levelled allegations of assault and dowry harassment against him. We shouldn't have such a person associated with the Ramlila.“
After the Shiv Sena's protest, the organisers decided to call off the Ramlila for the night, which meant that Nawaz could not take the stage in front of his home crowd. The organisers say that it was the actors performing in the Ramlila who had spoken to Nawaz, and they were not in the loop on the whole development. Damodar Sharma, president of Budhana's Ramlila Committee, says, “The committee wasn't informed in time about Nawazuddin playing Mareech. It was a decision taken by the artists. We got to know only two hours before the performance and before we could request for additional police presence, the protesters reached the spot. We realised that given Budhana is a communally sensitive area, it would not be wise to argue with them. Hence, we decided not to proceed with it.“
It would have been Nawaz's first performance in his hometown, Budhana, and he had told us that his family and friends were very excited at the prospect of seeing him act. Before the protest, he had told us, “All day, my family and friends had been texting all our acquaintances in town and everyone is very excited to see me act. Everyone has come. For me, it is special because it is the first time I will be acting in my hometown. That was a desire I had since I was a kid.“
Police officials say that they were not asked for any additional security, and it was the decision of the Ramlila organisers not to go ahead with Nawaz's performance. DK Tyagi, SHO, Budhana, says, “We had deployed our men there, as we do every year, but there was no law and order issue. It must have been a decision by the organisers not to stage the Ramlila, because there was no insistence or pressure from our side. The two sides talked and reached some agreement themselves. We were not asked to intervene. In fact, if Nawazuddin Siddiqui performs on stage now, we will provide security and ensure there is no problem at the venue.“
Before this unfortunate development, Nawaz had told DT that acting in Budhana's Ramlila had been a childhood dream for him. When asked why performing in the Ramlila meant so much to him, the actor had said, “When I was growing up here, there was boy named Madan who used to play Ram in the local Ramlila. Even though he was my age, we all used to respect him be cause of the aura around him, since he was Ram. I used to be fascinated by that. Toh tab se hi khwahish thi ki mujhe bhi Ramlila mein perform karna hai.“
-------------------------------
MUMBAI MIRROR (October 7, 2016)
Rakesh Jolly, Muzaffarnagar
District Superintendant of Police (Rural) has confirmed that Nawazuddin
Siddiqui pulled out of a Ramleela programme in his village in Budhana
following opposition by right-wing Hindu activists over him, a Muslim
actor, portraying the character of Mareech, a rakshasa killed by Ram's
arrows. The 42-year-old actor was to perform on Wednesday night. The
Ramleela itself has been cancelled.
The actor, known for his critically-acclaimed performances, has not lost hope and promised his fans that he will return next year. “My childhood dream could not come true, but I will definitely be a part of Ramleela next year. Check the rehearsals,“ he tweeted with a link of the rehearsal video.
Nawazuddin did not comment on those opposed to him appearing on stage. “There were some technical issues. I got the order that I should not do it as it was important to maintain peace in the village,“ he told a news channel.
The actor, known for his critically-acclaimed performances, has not lost hope and promised his fans that he will return next year. “My childhood dream could not come true, but I will definitely be a part of Ramleela next year. Check the rehearsals,“ he tweeted with a link of the rehearsal video.
Nawazuddin did not comment on those opposed to him appearing on stage. “There were some technical issues. I got the order that I should not do it as it was important to maintain peace in the village,“ he told a news channel.
My childhood dream could not come true, but will definitely be a part of Ramleela next year.— Nawazuddin Siddiqui (@Nawazuddin_S) October 6, 2016
Check the rehearsals. pic.twitter.com/euOYSgsm3F
Check out Nawazuddin Siddiqui as Mareech the golden deer at Ramlila in his native village
8:46 AM
The actor plays Mareech in his first Ramleela performance back in his native village; admits he’d like to play Lakshman some day
Avinash Lohana (MUMBAI MIRROR; October 6, 2016)
An hour before midnight on Wednesday, Nawazuddin Siddiqui went on stage in his native village, Budhana in Uttar Pradesh, and was greeted with wild applause. The internationally acclaimed actor made his Ramleela debut as Mareech, the golden deer who lured Ram away from his hut in the forest so Raavan can abduct Sita.
The perfectionist actor rehearsed for two hours from 3-5pm. Speaking to Mirror while he was getting into costume and make-up, he admitted the Ramleela has fascinated him since he was a child. “It’s held every year in our village during Navrati. My batch mate, Madan Kumar, used to play Ram and I’d make it a point to sit besides him in the college so I could brush shoulders with him. I’ve always wanted to be a part of the Ramleela, but I moved to Haridwar and from there I went to Baroda for further studies. After that I shifted to Delhi to pursue theatre before coming to Mumbai to become a film actor,” Nawaz points out.
This year, after he’d finished with the Raees schedule, shot for Babumoshai Bandykbaaz and a cameo in Mom, seen Ribhu Dasgupta’s Te3n and Sohail Khan’s Freaky Ali through their release, he headed to Budhana for a well-deserved break. From his childhood buddies the 42-year-old actor learnt that a Ramleela run was going on in his hometown. And when his friends suggested he play Mareech, he was game.
Cursed to be a rakshasa along with his mother Tataka and brother Subahu, Mareech initially terrorised sages till he was defeated by Ram at the behest of sage Vishvamitra. He tried to kill Ram but had to run for his life. Eventually he assumed the form of a golden deer and helped Ravana in his evil plan.
“Usually the entire Ramleela spans across 15-16 days. Nearly 800-1000 people come to watch, I’m looking forward to performing before a live audience. My dialogues are so poetic. I’ve been practicing since morning, I don’t think I’ve worked this hard for a film,” he laughed, admitting that Bharat milap is his favourite portion from the epic and he’d love to play Lakshman some day.
His daughter Shora, he confided, was excited to hear about the performance and unhappy about missing it. “She told me that if I’d informed her earlier, she’d have been there too but it was decided only on Wednesday morning,” he pointed out. Nawaz returns to Mumbai on Friday.
I'm a soft target because I'm an actor-Nawazuddin Siddiqui
8:30 AM
The actor on his sister-in-law's harassment charges
Divya Kaushik (BOMBAY TIMES; October 4, 2016)
On Sunday, Nawazuddin
Siddiqui held a press conference in Delhi to address the harassment
claims made by his sister-in-law, Afreen, against him and his family. Excerpts:
'I'VE BEEN INVOLVED IN THE CASE ONLY BECAUSE IT WOULD MAKE HEADLINES'
Addressing the press, the actor said, “Jaise usne (Afreen) bataya, waisa kuch hua hi nahin tha,“ adding that all this is happening because he's a “soft target“, being an actor. “Had this happened with a common man, it would not have made headlines. The truth is that she never faced any issues in our family, she has always been happy ever since she got married. Kuch na kuch ilzaam lagane ke liye ek toh dowry ka hota hai, do-teen aur aise cliches hote hain, 88% cases false hote hain. I got pulled into this as they knew involving me would immediately make news. Chhote gaon ke log sheheron ke log se bhi aur samajhdar hote hain, smart hote hain,“ he said.
'EVERYTHING THAT HAPPENED ON SEPTEMBER 28 IS ON CAMERA'
It has been alleged that CCTV cameras at his home were switched off on the day of the incident, but the actor says that is not the case. “My sister-in-law's uncle and his wife planned to rob our home, and they thought that the cameras would be off, but thankfully, the CCTV cameras were on and everything that happened on September 28 was captured. My sister-in-law's uncle used to often ask my brother for money, and recently, my brother refused to give him any. As a result, they planned to rob our home. They would come to our home every day, but this time, they came with a proper plan in hand. Thankfully, the CCTV cameras were on, main toh gaya tha varna,“ said Nawazuddin. He added, “They have alleged that I kicked the woman, but CCTV footage is proof that I didn't even touch her. Also, they said that when we were beating them, they screamed and all our neighbours came out of their homes. When they were running away with the potli (with the stolen jewellery), except for family members, nobody was there. I can only talk about what has been mentioned in the complaint, the police is investigating and doing their job.“ The actor also said that around Rs 15,000 in cash and some gold jewellery are missing from his house.
'THEY ARE STILL OUR RELATIVES, SO I WANT TO REACH SOME KIND OF SETTLEMENT SOON'
Nawaz said that even though the police is involved now and the case is in the news, he is open to an out-of-court settlement. “They are our relatives, so we never thought of taking the matter to the police. Humare yahan kitne bhi bade ladai ya jhagde hote hain, ya kisi bhi tarah ki koi baat ho jaye, buzurg log baith ke sort kar lete hain. Despite the matter being publicised, I still would call them our relatives, I would want her (Afreen) to come back, and I'll try to reach an out-of-court settlement. The police is investigating the case, and whatever they conclude, I'll agree with that. Do din settlement ki hi baat chal rahi thi. I want to reach some kind of settlement soon, because my brother and sister-in-law's relationship is also at stake,“ he said.
NAWAZ AND FAMILY DENYING HARASSMENT CHARGES, SAY IT'S A PLOY: MUZAFFARNAGAR POLICE
“We received the complaint letter and have started the investigation. Since this is a domestic dispute, we haven't filed an FIR yet, and are waiting for the findings of the preliminary inquiry to do that. Since the complainant claims that she is married to Nawazuddin's brother, we have asked her to furnish proof of that. Additionally, we have conducted a medical examination of her to verify her claims that she is pregnant, and whether Nawazuddin tried to harm her pregnancy by assaulting her or not. The result of that test is awaited. Witnesses are being questioned by the station officer at Budhana, under whose jurisdiction the matter falls. As far as we know, Nawazuddin Siddiqui is not in Muzaffarnagar at the moment, and hence we haven't been able to question him. We are waiting for him to return.“ - Rakesh Kumar Jolly, SP (RA), Muzaffarnagar
“Nawazuddin's family claims that nothing of this sort happened, and that this is a ploy by the girl to malign them as she and Minaazuddin have been having marital troubles. We are talking to the Siddiquis' neighbours in order to construct a chain of events.The complainant claims that CCTV footage was either destroyed or not recorded, but the accused, say that they have footage to back their claim. Once we examine the footage they provide, we will be in a better position to proceed with the investigation.“ - Budhana SO, DK Tyagi
WHAT WE KNOW SO FAR ABOUT THE CASE
On September 30, Afreen, the wife of Nawazuddin Siddiqui's brother Minaazuddin, filed a complaint against the actor and his family at a police station in Budhana, Muzaffarnagar, alleging that they tortured her and harassed her for dowry.
The complainant says that on the night of September 28, her husband Minaazuddin entered her room along with his brothers Nawazuddin, Faizuddin, Mazuddin and their father Nawabuddin, forcing her to leave their house. According to Afreen, when she asked her in-laws to give her some time, they dragged her out of the room and assaulted her. Hearing the commotion, their neighbours gathered and some one called Afreen's uncle who lives in Muzaffarnagar.
She has alleged that Nawaz and his family switched off CCTV cameras at their home and abused her, and that the abuse has been happening ever since she married the actor's younger brother earlier this year. She has said that Minaazuddin forces himself on her, and when she objects, he beats her. The police have registered a case of abuse and dowry harassment against the whole family.
Afreen has further alleged that she is pregnant and Minazuddin's family told her to get an abortion. She also said that the actor kicked her in the stomach knowing that she was three months pregnant. She has also claimed that Nawazuddin threatened her by flaunting his proximity to UP CM Akhilesh Yadav.
On Sunday evening, Minaazuddin filed a counter-complaint against Afreen and her uncle and aunt, alleging that the trio tried to steal from their house on the night of September 28, which led to an altercation. The Siddiquis also claim that Afreen is trying to divert attention from her alleged crime by raising a non-existent dowry issue.
Budhana SO DK Tyagi says, “We have received a complaint from Minaazuddin that his wife and her relatives tried to steal some unspecified items from the Siddiquis' home on the night of September 28. No FIR has been filed. We are investigating this.“
'I'VE BEEN INVOLVED IN THE CASE ONLY BECAUSE IT WOULD MAKE HEADLINES'
Addressing the press, the actor said, “Jaise usne (Afreen) bataya, waisa kuch hua hi nahin tha,“ adding that all this is happening because he's a “soft target“, being an actor. “Had this happened with a common man, it would not have made headlines. The truth is that she never faced any issues in our family, she has always been happy ever since she got married. Kuch na kuch ilzaam lagane ke liye ek toh dowry ka hota hai, do-teen aur aise cliches hote hain, 88% cases false hote hain. I got pulled into this as they knew involving me would immediately make news. Chhote gaon ke log sheheron ke log se bhi aur samajhdar hote hain, smart hote hain,“ he said.
'EVERYTHING THAT HAPPENED ON SEPTEMBER 28 IS ON CAMERA'
It has been alleged that CCTV cameras at his home were switched off on the day of the incident, but the actor says that is not the case. “My sister-in-law's uncle and his wife planned to rob our home, and they thought that the cameras would be off, but thankfully, the CCTV cameras were on and everything that happened on September 28 was captured. My sister-in-law's uncle used to often ask my brother for money, and recently, my brother refused to give him any. As a result, they planned to rob our home. They would come to our home every day, but this time, they came with a proper plan in hand. Thankfully, the CCTV cameras were on, main toh gaya tha varna,“ said Nawazuddin. He added, “They have alleged that I kicked the woman, but CCTV footage is proof that I didn't even touch her. Also, they said that when we were beating them, they screamed and all our neighbours came out of their homes. When they were running away with the potli (with the stolen jewellery), except for family members, nobody was there. I can only talk about what has been mentioned in the complaint, the police is investigating and doing their job.“ The actor also said that around Rs 15,000 in cash and some gold jewellery are missing from his house.
'THEY ARE STILL OUR RELATIVES, SO I WANT TO REACH SOME KIND OF SETTLEMENT SOON'
Nawaz said that even though the police is involved now and the case is in the news, he is open to an out-of-court settlement. “They are our relatives, so we never thought of taking the matter to the police. Humare yahan kitne bhi bade ladai ya jhagde hote hain, ya kisi bhi tarah ki koi baat ho jaye, buzurg log baith ke sort kar lete hain. Despite the matter being publicised, I still would call them our relatives, I would want her (Afreen) to come back, and I'll try to reach an out-of-court settlement. The police is investigating the case, and whatever they conclude, I'll agree with that. Do din settlement ki hi baat chal rahi thi. I want to reach some kind of settlement soon, because my brother and sister-in-law's relationship is also at stake,“ he said.
NAWAZ AND FAMILY DENYING HARASSMENT CHARGES, SAY IT'S A PLOY: MUZAFFARNAGAR POLICE
“We received the complaint letter and have started the investigation. Since this is a domestic dispute, we haven't filed an FIR yet, and are waiting for the findings of the preliminary inquiry to do that. Since the complainant claims that she is married to Nawazuddin's brother, we have asked her to furnish proof of that. Additionally, we have conducted a medical examination of her to verify her claims that she is pregnant, and whether Nawazuddin tried to harm her pregnancy by assaulting her or not. The result of that test is awaited. Witnesses are being questioned by the station officer at Budhana, under whose jurisdiction the matter falls. As far as we know, Nawazuddin Siddiqui is not in Muzaffarnagar at the moment, and hence we haven't been able to question him. We are waiting for him to return.“ - Rakesh Kumar Jolly, SP (RA), Muzaffarnagar
“Nawazuddin's family claims that nothing of this sort happened, and that this is a ploy by the girl to malign them as she and Minaazuddin have been having marital troubles. We are talking to the Siddiquis' neighbours in order to construct a chain of events.The complainant claims that CCTV footage was either destroyed or not recorded, but the accused, say that they have footage to back their claim. Once we examine the footage they provide, we will be in a better position to proceed with the investigation.“ - Budhana SO, DK Tyagi
WHAT WE KNOW SO FAR ABOUT THE CASE
On September 30, Afreen, the wife of Nawazuddin Siddiqui's brother Minaazuddin, filed a complaint against the actor and his family at a police station in Budhana, Muzaffarnagar, alleging that they tortured her and harassed her for dowry.
The complainant says that on the night of September 28, her husband Minaazuddin entered her room along with his brothers Nawazuddin, Faizuddin, Mazuddin and their father Nawabuddin, forcing her to leave their house. According to Afreen, when she asked her in-laws to give her some time, they dragged her out of the room and assaulted her. Hearing the commotion, their neighbours gathered and some one called Afreen's uncle who lives in Muzaffarnagar.
She has alleged that Nawaz and his family switched off CCTV cameras at their home and abused her, and that the abuse has been happening ever since she married the actor's younger brother earlier this year. She has said that Minaazuddin forces himself on her, and when she objects, he beats her. The police have registered a case of abuse and dowry harassment against the whole family.
Afreen has further alleged that she is pregnant and Minazuddin's family told her to get an abortion. She also said that the actor kicked her in the stomach knowing that she was three months pregnant. She has also claimed that Nawazuddin threatened her by flaunting his proximity to UP CM Akhilesh Yadav.
On Sunday evening, Minaazuddin filed a counter-complaint against Afreen and her uncle and aunt, alleging that the trio tried to steal from their house on the night of September 28, which led to an altercation. The Siddiquis also claim that Afreen is trying to divert attention from her alleged crime by raising a non-existent dowry issue.
Budhana SO DK Tyagi says, “We have received a complaint from Minaazuddin that his wife and her relatives tried to steal some unspecified items from the Siddiquis' home on the night of September 28. No FIR has been filed. We are investigating this.“
Check out Nawazuddin Siddiqui taking a much-needed break by farming in Budhana
7:44 AM
Avinash Lohana (MUMBAI MIRROR; September 20, 2016)
After shooting Rahul Dholakia's Raees, Ribhu Dasgupta's Te3n, Sohail Khan's Freaky Ali, Kushan Nandy's Babumoshai Bandookbaaz and a cameo in Ravi Udyawar's Mom, Nawazuddin Siddiqui has retreated to his native village in Budhana, Uttar Pradesh, for a much-needed break. And besides spending some quality time with his family and catching up with his childhood buddies, the 42-year-old actor has taken up farming.
"After continuous shoots and promotions I was really looking forward to this quick escape. I enjoy farming and did it till the age of twenty two. I'd hit the fields with my brothers every morning at 4.30 and work till 11 am. This year, we're growing mustard and are currently ploughing the field," informs Nawazuddin who will be in his village for 15 days and will soon be joined by wife Aaliya, and their kids, Shora and Yani.
Nawaz is concentrating on introducing a unique irrigation technique called centre pivot in his village which will help farmers save water as well as electricity. "I discovered it during my visit to Cannes, earlier this year, where I met a bunch of French filmmakers who were also farmers from Nice. I have already apprised the farmers in my village of soil and the crops which would fetch them more profit, like vegetables and rice take less time to grow but have a good market," the actor explains.
Ask him if his friends there treat him differently now that he is a star actor and Nawaz quips, "The people here and I go back a long way. They know that I won't like it if they treated me differently. But everyone in the village is a huge fan of Salman (Khan) bhai and keep asking me about him."
Next up, Nawaz will start prepping up for Sabbir Khan's Munna Michael which also features Tiger Shroff in the lead. "It's a love triangle and you will see me do an out-and-out dance number which I am excited about but I will have to train first as I will be matching steps with Tiger who is a great dancer. I might even learn some Michael Jackson moves but I am not sure if they will be incorporated in the film," he laughs.
Nawaz recently finished shooting for major portions of Babumoshai Bandookbaaz and will be filming for the remaining ones and an item number soon.
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