Would you believe it if we said Nawazuddin Siddiqui is a bad actor? Fortunately, you don’t have to as he aims to convince us in his next film, Main Actor Nahin Hoon (I’m Not an Actor).

After making waves at the New York Indian Film Festival, the actor is taking the movie to an institute that has shaped generations of performers — the Lee Strasberg Theatre and Film Institute (LSTFI). The film revolves around a retired banker-turned-bad actor — played by Siddiqui — who virtually connects with an actor for acting lessons. The cast also includes Chitrangada Satarupa and Naveen Kasturia, along with Ayushi Gupta, Yasir Iftikhar Khan, Meenakshi Arundhati, and Vibhawari Deshpande.

Main Actor Nahin Hoon will be screened exclusively for the school’s current students and alumni on 24 June. It will be followed by an intimate conversation with Siddiqui and writer-director Aditya Kripalani. “We are so excited about this. It is a film about acting, so for it to go to a prestigious establishment like this is a huge honour,” says the filmmaker.

Siddiqui, who has trained in method acting, will conduct a masterclass about the process behind his performance and the many interpretations of the craft. “As artistes, we feel bankers have it easy. They feel we have it easy because our lives are far less regimented. [We assume] that the grass is always greener on the other side. I want to debunk these labels,” says Kripalani.

He adds that, while he understands the notion is rooted in reason, “people are not as one-toned as we make them out to be. Their worldview makes them, not their choice of profession. I wanted the other party to get into our psyche.”

The director aims to release the film theatrically in India around October or November this year.

After being a part of the industry for 17 years, Sumona Chakravarti shared her joy of winning an Indian Television Academy Award. The actor-comedian shares, “Till the time you hear your name announced, it is difficult to believe. My hands were clenched tightly around the award. I was overwhelmed.”

While the 35-year-old has been nominated for this award previously, this is her first win. “Any accolade boosts you to do better. It is your hard work that is being appreciated at the end of the day… It felt great. However, not winning an award doesn’t mean people didn’t recognize or appreciate my work,” she says.

Recently, Chakravarti also took to social media to share that she had completed a two-week acting course at the prestigious The Lee Strasberg Theatre and Film Institute, USA.

She tells us, “It is very expensive to go to that institute. Back in the day, I did not have the money to go there. I have learnt everything [I know] on set and I never had any technical training. I feel that there is no specific age for learning. [I believe] You can learn anything whenever you want. So this experience was sublime.”