For an actor who has spent over two decades redefining realism on screen, theatre has always been home. That’s where his story started. Now, after a 30-year gap, Nawazuddin Siddiqui is finally returning to the stage with Naqaab, directed by Paritosh Painter. This also marks a personal milestone — the acting debut of his 15-year-old daughter, Shora.

The play premiered in Chicago on July 17 and will do a nine-city US tour. Nawaz opens up about why films had begun leaving him creatively unfulfilled, why theatre continues to be an actor’s greatest school, and the reason he wanted Shora to make her acting debut on stage, instead of the screen.

Speaking about returning to theatre, Nawaz says, “When I came from the National School of Drama (NSD) to Mumbai, it was a struggle and then I started getting smaller roles. Once I started doing movies, theatre se darr lagne laga. Camera ke saamne maza aane laga. Aur phir theatre kiya hi nahi. Over the years, I started getting the feeling that as an artiste I haven’t done something challenging for long. Mujhe lagne laga ki shayad uss type ka kaam hi nahi ho raha movies mein where I can experiment. I am not dismissing cinema. Great work is happening in cinema too, but sometimes you get that feeling when you are doing films year after year.”

Explaining why theatre intimidates even seasoned film actors, Nawaz says, “Cinema has retakes. In cinema you don’t get to explore much. In this play I am playing four-five characters. Depth wale characters hote hain theatre mein. Cinema mein limitations hoti hain. In theatre I can play Hamlet, Othello, but it is not possible in Hindi films. When they make movies, they want to play safe, and after all, they have to make money. So, I wanted to experiment and theatre helped me do that.”

When asked if one of the reasons to turn to theatre was because today’s films no longer excite him, Nawaz reflects on the cinema that inspired him to become an actor.

“When I saw Parinda, I was shocked to see Nana Patekar’s role. When I saw Seema Biswas’s performance in Bandit Queen, I was blown away. Films like Satya, Maqbool and Sparsh excited me. These experiments broke industry clichés. If you see these films, you’ll realize that it’s theatre actors who have delivered some of the most realistic performances on screen. They brought realism to the industry. Today, cinema is all about the box office. People ask, ‘How much has the film made? Rs 100 crore? Okay, let’s go and watch it.’”

Equally special for Nawaz is introducing his daughter Shora to acting through theatre rather than films. At just 15, she is playing a 26-year-old character in Naqaab. “Shora also wanted to act, so she trained under Paritosh Painter who’s directing the play.”

He firmly believes theatre teaches what workshops cannot. “Shora did five-six workshops in London, but it wasn’t enough. I thought let’s get her on stage and make her learn. We started from 50 instead of zero and she needs to reach 100. The role is very difficult. It will be easier for her to do films now.”

Nawaz admits his daughter doesn’t go easy on him. He smiles and shares, “She doesn’t like my roles. She hasn’t even seen much of my work. She has seen Gangs Of Wasseypur. If I make a mistake on stage, she tells me. She is critical of my work. I am not.”

Instinct, not commerce, guided Nawazuddin Siddiqui to Main Actor Nahin Hoon. Director Aditya Kripalani’s indie film about a depressed banker is in contrast to the big-ticket masala movies that dominate screens today. It’s also Siddiqui’s way of cutting out the noise and falling in love with the craft again.

“There is a lot of calculation now — how much a film will earn, how many people it will reach. But this film is not for financial benefit, it’s for the benefit of the actor in me. I didn’t come into films because I wanted a fan club. This is my personal journey. To satisfy the audience, you have to keep doing one kind of character. I can’t do that. If you love me, you will have to watch different characters,” said the actor in his trademark candour.

Choosing such off-beat stories has become harder today when the industry is making fewer movies. But it will always be stories over spectacle for the actor.

“Earlier, more films were being made, so people were taking more risks. Now, few films are being made, and because of that, actors suffer too. What has happened to our industry is pathetic. Everything has become about spectacle. It’s no longer about the story. There is no originality in the industry. One thing becomes successful, then everyone starts making the same thing.”

Is Siddiqui disappointed in the current system? Perhaps. But he is hopeful too. He reasoned, “Every era changes because of one film or one piece of art. Sometimes weak phases come, and then strong films change the era again. That cycle will continue.”

Nawazuddin Siddiqui’s daughter Shora is reportedly making her acting debut with Arijit Singh’s directorial venture. Did the actor have any tips for her? “I keep nudging her to do acting courses. The best way to be a good actor is to broaden your horizon. I send her different films to watch so that the scope of her worldview is much larger,” he said.

According to Nawazuddin Siddiqui, Malayalam cinema is the perfect example of how stardom and content can be married. “In Kerala, intelligent films are being made on small budgets, and big stars are doing them because those films satisfy the actor in them,” he noted.

Nawazuddin Siddiqui, whose cinematic journey began in a theatre in the remote village of Budhana (Uttar Pradesh), believes that Indian cinema’s global recognition has been largely driven by independent filmmakers. With their work being appreciated in Europe, this acknowledgment, he feels, was long overdue and keeps him anchored to the kind of cinema he has always loved – from Naseeruddin Shah’s powerful performance in Sparsh (1980) to Irrfan’s in The Lunchbox (2013).

“These films, performances, and my theatre training shaped me into the actor I became,” he says. In conversation, Nawaz speaks to us about the deep impact films have had on him.

According to Nawaz, film festivals expanded his vision of what Indian cinema could be. Sharing that he has been in screening rooms from Venice to Berlin, where audiences come for cinema, not spectacle, Nawaz says, “Berlin ho ya Cannes ya Venice, itne log aate hain sirf cinema ke liye. You go there, watch films from around the world, and then you see the ones that went from India, aur tab lagta hai ki ‘Thank God! Hamare yahan se bhi itni achhi filmein gayi hain.’ Even if they didn’t run in India, even if people here didn’t know about them – they worked globally.”

He adds, “Be it All We Imagine As Light (2024) or The Lunchbox – these films went on to become global phenomenon.”

This year, Neeraj Ghaywan’s Homebound made it to Cannes. Payal Kapadia was on the Cannes jury. About the growing global recognition of Indian indie films, Nawaz says, “Indian cinema ko global level pe kisi ne crack kiya hai toh woh independent directors ne . Most of our commercial films are preferred by Indian diaspora and Middle East. But in Europe, our independent films are more appreciated.”

Nawaz reveals he has always been a cinephile, drawn to movies by actors who pushed boundaries. “There are so many films I keep going back to Dev Anand and Dilip Kumar’s films, Naseeruddin Shah’s Ijaazat (1987), Om Puri’s Ardh Satya (1983), Pankaj Kapur’s Ek Doctor Ki Maut (1990). Yeh filmein main baar-baar, hazaar baar dekh sakta hoon .”

For him, it’s not genre or director, but the power of performance that links them. “It’s the actors,” he says. “Hamare country mein aise actors ka hona, yeh hamari khushnaseebi hai. Naseeruddin Shah, Om Puri, Kamal Haasan, Manoj Bajpayee, Irrfan – they’re great actors.”

“The first film I ever watched in a cinema hall was Jaggu (1975),” Nawaz recalls, adding, “I must’ve been five or six. Hamare yahan toh Shatrughan Sinha bahut hi popular thay western UP mein.”

Nawazuddin Siddiqui has long been praised by critics, for slipping seamlessly into intense, serious, complex roles. But as he stood at the stage of the National School of Drama, he spoke of a time when serious roles weren’t even in the picture.

“There was a moment here, when I realized that maybe I could work on making serious roles my base," he recalled. Until then, he was only into comic roles. A Russian director visiting NSD saw something sharper in him. “He cast me in a serious role based only on my eyes,” Nawaz said.

He said that even now, after decades in the industry, and after playing characters that have shaken him to his core, the hunger remains. “Artist ki jo bhookh hoti hai woh kabhi khatam nahi hoti,” he said.

During a conversation with NSD director Chittaranjan Tripathy, Nawaz recalled his campus days:

Nawaz recalled that when he was at NSD, a Russian theatre director visited the campus and said, "His casting process was unique. He didn’t meet any of the students from my batch. Instead, he looked at our photos and focused only on the eyes. He decided to cast us based on that. That was the first time I was given a serious role in a play. Until then, I had only done comedy at NSD. That was the moment I found a certain tone in my acting. It was the first time I realised I could make that my base and build on it."

Nawazuddin Siddiqui said that in terms of characters, he still feels that it's just the beginning. He recalled, "When we used to do drama during our NSD days, even then, we would search for layers within the characters to perform them differently - kuch alag sa ho, cliched na ho, absurd na ho, unpredictable ho. We constantly tried to avoid what came naturally to the character; we didn't want to do what felt easy. It is important to play characters differently, and I believe absurdity exists somewhere inside us. Bringing that out while performing is essential. Aaj bhi main usi ko le kar pareshan hoon. Characters have their own mistakes, their own shades, and I like doing such characters. Woh characters jinki har cheez achhi hai, mujhe nafrat hai aise characters se."

Giving an example of the hero in Hindi films, he said, "He has no crisis, no troubles in life. He looks good, talks nicely. Khoobsurat ladki uss par marti bhi hai. 12-15 logon ko maar bhi deta hai woh. Mujhe aise characters chahiye jismein kharabiyan bhi ho, achhaiyan bhi ho. Ab aap decide kariye kaisa hai woh? Main usi ko le kar pareshan rehta hoon ki kaash hamare yahan aise kirdar likhe jayein jo cliches ko break karein. Kahaniyaan ek se achhi hai hamare yahan, lekin kirdar waise likhe nahi ja rahe. A lot of people ask me, 'Are you doing a good story?' I don't want a good story; I want a nuanced character."

Nawaz said that we are surrounded by absurd stories, adding, "Lekin hum log samaj se bandhe hain aur woh stories mar jati hain phir. Mujhe shauq hai waise kirdar karne ka. Main uske liye aaj bhi bhookha hoon."

Talking about the characters that left an impression on him, he said, "The most difficult character for me so far has been Balasaheb Thackeray because I didn’t want it to feel like mimicry. I wanted to look like both myself and him at the same time. I studied method acting at NSD, so all of that training helped. Apart from Balasaheb Thackeray, Manto was a character that shook me up internally. Usne mere body mein hulchul kar di. It even brought changes in my life. For a few years, I started speaking the truth too often, and that created some problems for me. Maine jhela sach bol ke, usse seekha maine sach bolo lekin jagah aur time dekh ke bolo."

Actor Nawazuddin Siddiqui met filmmaker Anurag Kashyap for the first time on the set of Shool (1999), and their first interaction was the latter dissuading him from taking up the job he was there for. “Anurag had seen my work in Sarfarosh (1999) and he told me to not do Shool, as it was a small part. He wanted me to wait for a bigger role, but I had to take it up as I needed work,” says Siddiqui, as he talks about his bond with Kashyap ahead of Friendship Day tomorrow.

Talking about their equation, the 50-year-old adds, “When we met for the first time, I felt, ‘Yeh meri vibe ka banda hai’. I had this feeling that he would always take care of me. There was that connection, as he gives off such positive energy.”

Siddiqui feels what sets their friendship apart is a balance between work and personal equation. “I have never asked Anurag for work. Hamari industry mein jab kaam waali dosti hoti hai, tab differences aane start ho jaate hain. Par Anurag ko mujhse aur mujhko Anurag se laalach hi nahin hai kisi cheez ka,” says the actor, who had a ball collaborating with Kashyap, 51, on Gangs Of Wasseypur (2012).

Ask if they ever had any creative differences while working together, and Siddiqui shares, “Creative differences are always there, but mazaa tab hi hai jab mil kar ek raay par pahuchein. Jab main chaaron taraf se phans jaata hoon, I go to Anurag for advise, and he always pulls me out of it.”

Is there anything about Kashyap that he’d like to change? “Carelessness,” says the actor, adding, “He is very careless when it comes to his health.”

“I am interested in character-driven films, not story-driven,” says Nawazuddin Siddiqui. “If you look at modern cinema, the storyline can be as simple as someone travelling from Churchgate to Virar or from the Delhi airport to Dilli-6. Lekin kirdar ke dimag mein jo chal raha hai usko jab kholte hain toh usmein bada interest aata hai. Ek insaan ka dimag itni sari complexities le ke chalta hai aur isliye mujhe character ke joh characteristics hain, unki habits hain, usko explore karne mein bada maza aata hai,” he says, as he chats with us about what kind of films interest him, his trust in the talent of young filmmakers, and why he thinks that independent filmmakers are the ones who will get Indian cinema global recognition.

“We need to support independent films. Joh youngsters aa rahe hain unko motivation milega ki log support kar rahe hain. If we will not support them then the next generation will not make such independent films, they will get scared. Hamare yahan talent ki kami nahi hai, unko pata hai kam budget mein achhi filmein kaise banayi ja sakti hain. But we need to support them.”

Elaborating on what he means by character-driven role Nawaz explains, “Recently, I saw a Japanese-German co-production Perfect Days (2023). There is nothing like a plot per se in the film. It is about a character who is at peace with himself and every day, he goes to clean public toilets. He is alone, but he is not sad. He is happy and content. As a viewer, one starts falling in love with the positivity of that character. Story toh kuch bhi nahi hai, lekin kitna khoobsurat kirdar hai. Mujhe kirdaron (characters) se bada lagaav hai. Mujhe kirdaar karna bahut pasand hai.”

Do Indian films have characters like this? “Hamare yahan abhi thodi kami hai. Especially mainstream mein bahut kami hai. In mainstream films, even now, it’s the story that matters the most. I have high hopes from new filmmakers and producers who are coming into the industry. They are not in awe of mainstream cinema and are making independent films, making short films – I have lots of hope from them. With time, I’m leaning more towards films like Perfect Days – even if it’s a modest budget film, it is focused more on the characters’ complexities. Paisa kamane ke liye hamari mainstream filming hain. Wahan se kamayenge aur yahan gawayenge.”

Nawaz says that he tries his best to support young filmmakers. He adds, “Hamare desh ka naam chhoti films aur independent filmein hi karengi – aur kar rahi hain. If we want global recognition, then it is independent cinema that can get us that recognition. For instance, when Gangs Of Wasseypur opened, it was first released in Cannes. Then it also became a hit in India. Ritesh Batra’s The Lunchbox was part of international film festivals, and it also became a hit in other countries. The film was not that big a hit in India, but it was a massive hit outside.”

Last year, at a discussion on the popularity of Indian films in France, French officials said that The Lunchbox, which was a French coproduction, became quite a hit with French moviegoers and ran for several weeks.

Nawaz continues, “Be it Payal Kapadia or other young filmmakers like her, when they bring their independent thinking to films, then that will definitely add value (to Indian cinema).”

Nawaz says that in India, people want to watch independent films in theatres, but the problem is that these films have not been able to reach the moviegoers. “Agar 50 theatres mein ek show subah 10 baje aur ek raat ke 10 baje hoga toh apni film dekhne main khud na jaoon.”

In Rautu Ka Raaz, Nawaz plays the role of a police inspector. He says, “Iss story ka mujhe pace bahut achha laga. Whenever there is a murder mystery, it’s fast-paced action. Aisa iss film mein nahi hai”

Nawazuddin Siddiqui, who’s always battled questions about good looks, emphasises that when it comes to his profession, one needs to gauge an actor’s looks through the camera lens. He explains, “Views on good looks differ from person to person. A man or woman you think is good-looking in India might not be considered good-looking in France or Germany.”

Elaborating on how unconventional beauty is also accepted by the audience, the Sacred Games actor says, “Hamare yahan toh hum certain body type aur certain skin colour ko good-looking maante hai. But for me, Smita Patil se khoobsurat actress koi aayi hi nahi hai aaj tak. Aisa lagta hai ke she was made for the camera. Camera ka kuch ek doosra perception hota hai. We have to see one through the lens. Hum log bina camera ke dekhte hai and decide karte hai ki yeh good-looking hai ya nahi. But when it comes to movies, whether an actor is good-looking or not should be decided after seeing them through the lens.”

Praising the actress who won immense love for her performances in films like Ardh Satya (1983), Bazaar (1982) and Arth (1982), among others, Nawaz said, “Smita Patil ko agar hum yahan khade karde then she will just come across as a normal Indian girl. Lekin jaise hi woh camera ke saamne aati thi, unse khoobsurat koi nahi dikhta tha. If she were there in today’s time, she would have been a delight for international filmmakers. West toh unhe kheech leta tha.”

Speaking about Slumdog Millionaire actress Freida Pinto, Nawaz says, “I was at the Cannes Film Festival, and I saw this huge hoarding that featured Freida. For many of us, she might be like any other girl next door. Lekin wahan par log keh rahe the ki yeh Hollywood ki kisi bade actress se bhi zyada khoobsurat lag rahi hai. People were clicking pictures of that hoarding. That shows the difference in people’s perception.”

It’s been five years since Nawazuddin Siddiqui made his digital debut with Sacred Games. The OTT space has evolved considerably since. In conversation with us, the actor points out the pros and the cons of this change. He shares, “Things have evolved, yes. Shuruwat jo hai woh bahut honesty ke saath hoti hai, and later it just becomes a commodity… uska ek dhanda ban jata hai. And this happens in every industry, not just showbiz.”

Talking about how the change in the outlook towards the medium affects the content that’s created for it, he says, “It leads to downgrading of the quality of all the departments because it becomes a race…bas jald se jald banado aur logon ko dikha do. Likewise, when you are starting off there’s an honesty, but later, that fades away too.”

Having said that, he shares that there are a few shows that definitely caught his attention. “I have seen Panchayat and Scam 1992. And I saw it not because of its marketing or PR buzz, but because common people were talking about it and that generated my interest,” he says.

Ask the actor if OTT, like Bollywood, has become star-driven too, and he says, “Ab ho gaya hai waise, pehle nahi tha. I feel that doesn’t matter to the OTT audience though; what matters to them is the content. Over a period of time stars ne bhi behti Ganga mein apne haath dhone ki koshish karli. But as far as I know, the original OTT audience was very different.”

Nawaz, who has been a part of OTT films like Serious Men, Haddi and Tiku Weds Sheru, feels that there’s a certain kind of fatigue when it comes to consuming OTT content now. “I do feel the audience is now tired. There are many actors who come and tell me that they have done so and so web show, but I haven’t even heard the names. Due to this abundance, humein pata hi nahi chal raha ki kitne series ban rahe hai aur release ho rahe hai.”

So, is it time makers introspect? “No, no... why should they do that? See, directors and actors are waiting for opportunities. The medium has plenty of work for all. We wait ki koi hamare paas kuch interesting project leke aaye, but there’s this rush ki we need to finish the shoot as fast as we can and drop the show online. I like what my friend actor-writer Hussain Dalal once told me ki OTT is TV plus, which means TV se thoda behetar.”

In recent years, many books have gained a new audience through on-screen adaptations. Discussions on screen adaptations and how they can breathe a new life into stories have become a major section at film festivals and literature events across the country.

Nawazuddin Siddiqui, who played leading roles in Sacred Games and Serious Men, recently shared his experience of working on book adaptations.

“A film or a web series may start from a particular point in the book or could be a slice from the book, but I still make sure to read the book along with the screenplay because the book provides a solid background.”

He added, “I didn't want to do Sacred Games because I thought I had played a similar character in Gangs Of Wasseypur. However, Anurag Kashyap convinced me that this character will have more layers and will be deeper. While doing this role, I realized the true meaning of versatility. I understood that playing similar roles doesn't mean typecasting, but portraying different rolers in a similar manner is.”

“I was cautious about that; I didn’t want it to be another Faizal Khan (Gangs of Wasseypur) or Raman Raghav (in Raman Raghav 2.0) because they were also gangsters. Gaitonde was a gangster, but he got so much love because the audience never judged him. When I’m playing any character, I ask 10-12 crew members ‘What are you thinking about this character?’ Whatever is the common view among all of them, I keep that in mind while playing the character.”

“For Manto, I thought, why not play myself? Because I also have similar thoughts. I never tried to play Manto in the film. I asked – how would I react to these situations? Hum log keh toh nahi paate apne thoughts, apne characters ke zariye hi keh sakte hain.”

“Serious men ke mere character mein ek khalish hai jo shayad mere andar bhi hai. This could be due to my appearance or perhaps because of my background. So, I found a deep connection with the character. There is a scene in Serious Men, where my character talks about his caste and he is comfortable talking about it. I, as Nawaz, I’m also comfortable saying those dialogues because I come from a similar background. However, what my character did with his child is something I could never imagine doing with my own children.”

From doing small but significant roles to reaching a point where lead roles are being written with him in mind, Nawazuddin Siddiqui has come a long way. Not only has he proven his mettle as an actor on Indian shores, but now he is looking forward to an American film (Laxman Lopez, directed by Roberto Girault) where he is the protagonist. The actor says that he had sworn not to do a foreign movie unless he was offered a leading part. In a chat, he talks about his work, roles, working with women directors and more. Excerpts:

Talking about the kind of roles he has done over the years, Nawaz says, “In my career in this industry, I have worked in many films where I did small roles. And I am done with that. Ab toh aap mujhe 25 crore denge toh bhi main chhota role nahi karunga. I feel that money and fame are just by-products of your work. If you just do your job well, money and fame will run after you. If you chase them, you will never find them, so just keep doing good work.”

Nawaz says, “We sometimes chase money and fame all our lives and get nothing. I believe that khudi ko itna enhance kar lo, khud ko aisa bana lo ki money aur fame aapke ghulam ban jaaye aur aap ke peeche bhaage.”

Nawaz has played many challenging characters in the last decade, and when asked about what has been his most challenging role to date, he says, “It depends on you actually — what are the kinds of roles you are choosing and where are you taking that — kis mukam pe pahuchatein hain aap usse. In every single role, an actor has the ability to make the character very special. And the same character can be played poorly by another actor. So, I feel that it all depends on the actor. I try to ensure that every single character I play is special — that is all I strive for every day.”

Actors going behind the camera has been a trend, but Nawaz has no such plans. “I only know how to act. Bas yeh ek hi cheez mere se ho jaaye toh kaafi hai,” he shares.

The actor has worked with several women directors in his career and has an interesting point of view on it. He says, “For me, the director is just that, ‘the director’. I never look at a director as male or female. In my career, I have worked the most with female directors and I have never felt anything different or given it a thought. Art is important and is not dependent on them being male or female, art kisi ki mauhtaj nahi hoti. Of course, a woman’s perception is different, uska dekhne ka nazariya bahut hi khubsoorat hota hai. The way a woman sees the world is beautiful and that is something that I get a glimpse of when I work with a woman director.”

While talent doesn’t always translate into stardom, Nawaz believes everyone gets their due. “I am from a small village, but here I am talking to you,” he says, adding, “I truly believe that everyone in this world gets their due. If there is talent, nothing can stop you from getting your due. Aaj nahi toh kal you will definitely get what you deserve.”

Nawazuddin Siddiqui’s body of work has proved his penchant for pushing the envelope as an actor. No surprises then that the first look of him dressed as a woman in the upcoming film Haddi, a revenge drama directed by Akshat Ajay Sharma, has got social media talking. Intrigued by his striking new avatar, we reached out to the actor to know about this new look.

In an exclusive conversation with Bombay Times, Nawaz said, “It’s just been a couple of days. We have started the shoot of Haddi in Noida. It’s a revenge drama. I will be portraying two roles in the film — I play a woman and a transgender. These are two separate parts, it’s a double role. Akshat had this script and wanted to make the film for almost four years. Akshat has worked as a second unit director in AK vs AK and Sacred Games. I have known him since the time he was working with Anurag Kashyap. We are finally doing the film.”

While some fans were quick to point out that Nawaz’s female look may have been inspired by Archana Puran Singh’s hairdo,the actor clarified that there was no such reference, nor will he try to emulate anyone. He said, “If I am playing a female character, I need to think like a woman and that’s my test as an actor. Outfit, hair, make-up, yeh sab toh theek hai...that’s not my concern. There are experts to look into it and they know their job. Woh sab baahri cheezen hai and those will be taken care of. My concern is to get the internal thought process right.”

Nawaz said, “What do women think? What do they want? An actor’s job is to get into the head of the character he plays. Your perception, outlook towards life as a woman is bound to be different and that is the most difficult part about Haddi for me. Ek aurat ke nazariyese duniya dekhni hogi. The film is not about costumes and gestures. The process is more internal.”

Nawaz’s collaboration with female directors on various projects came handy for the prep. He revealed, “I have worked with many renowned female directors and that helped me. I realised that women look at the world differently. They are far more compassionate and see beauty in everything. For most men, it’s often about power and control. The female gaze is kinder and sensitive. I am trying to get that POV (point of view) right.”

The actor takes close to three hours daily to get his female look right. He shared, “After this experience, I have huge respect for actresses who do this on a daily basis. Itna saara taam jhaam hota hai. Hair, make-up, kapde, nails... pura sansar leke chalna padta hai. Now I know why an actress may take longer than her male counterpart to get ready. It’s absolutely justified. I will have more patience now (laughs)!”

Nawazuddin Siddiqui minces no words when asked about the ongoing Hindi vs south cinema debate. For starters, the actor shares that he never watches a south language film dubbed in Hindi, as he likes to watch the original version: “I can’t watch a dubbed version, because then I can’t go into the depths of acting. A lot of these films are being dubbed in Hindi. If I watch an actor act and their voice is dubbed in another language by someone else, I can’t do that (relate to it).”

The 48-year-old finds it unfair when nepotism only becomes a matter of discussion in Hindi films and is overlooked in the case of other film industries. “Do saal pandemic mein log nepo kids ke baare mein chilla rahe the. The films people are watching [from the south film industries] woh kya baahar ke log hain? They are also nepo kids. People kept shouting about nepotism, but then the films coming from other states, unmein bhi toh nepo kids hain,” he states.

Lauding Bollywood, he feels its embracive nature sets it apart. “In our industry, people from outside [at least] get work, our situation is better [compared to other film industries],” says the actor, who is known for being straightforward and blunt as far as speaking his heart out is concerned. How difficult has being undiplomatic been for him? “Mujhe jo feel hota hai, main bolta hoon, chaahe log mujhe gaali dein. Other people want to be politically correct,” the Raat Akeli Hai (2020) actor ends.

There was a time when Nawazuddin Siddiqui saw a bright future for the OTT space in India, but not anymore. The actor feels the platform has lost its edge in the race to churn out content, with quality taking a back seat.

“I don’t think I’ve done enough projects on digital platforms. But ab jo halat hai OTT ki India mein, with projects being made in abundance like anything, TV jaisa haal ho gaya hai,” Siddiqui says with a tinge of disappointment in his voice. He continues, “Har tarah ke OTT series ban rahe hain, aur itne saare ban rahe hain. I am not saying they are good or bad here, but it is just like TV series now.”

What makes him say that? “The approach nowadays is chalo yeh bana lo, aur ab yeh bana lo… I think that is a TV series type [of attitude] ki ek din mein ek episode ka content nikalna hai. That is what is practised on television, and I feel it’s happening in the web space, too,” he elaborates.

According to the 48-year-old, the reason behind the rush to create content is the increase in money flow. “Bahar se funding hai, with big production houses backing these projects, aur woh bahut hi casually bana rahein hain. Jo baat pehle thi woh ab nahin hai...Aap dekho na dekho, yeh shows aapke saamne aate rahenge. And that’s why one can’t ascertain which show is being liked and which one isn’t working,” says the actor, who has played diverse characters in the web space, from a gangster in Sacred Games to a father in Serious Men (2020). There is also Raat Akeli Hai, Ghoomketu (both 2020) and the upcoming Tiku Weds Sheru, which will also release on a streaming platform.

Quantity over quality is just one of the reasons he feels the web space will lose its sheen — another is that theatres have bounced back from the pandemic lull. The back-to-back success of films, such as Gangubai Kathiawadi and Bhool Bhulaiyaa 2, is a positive sign of revival of cinema.

“Things will be difficult for the web space now, because the big screen has made a comeback. And theatrical releases are working as well. This means few people will opt to watch a web series at home and only if it is something extraordinary. Because hum logon ko cinema ki aadat hai,” Siddiqui says, while expressing his happiness that the big screen found a way to bounce back after the pandemic. “Now, things are normal, and people want to watch movies on the big screen. One can’t overlook the fact that the main source of entertainment remains the big screen,” he wraps up, hoping that the OTT world finds a way to survive.

For actor Nawazuddin Siddiqui, it appears like the ninth time is the charm. After making eight trips to the previous editions of the Cannes Film Festival, he has been invited this year, for the first time, by the Government of India. He walked the red carpet on May 17.

What’s more? The actor will ring in his birthday there on May 19. Ask him if that makes the day even more memorable and the 47-year-old says, “Representing India is always special — be it on my birthday or any other day. I have spent five-six of my birthdays at Cannes, as it’s held around the same time every year. I am not a person who celebrates birthdays as such. It’s just like a normal day.”

His earliest memory of the festival is when two of his films, Gangs Of Wasseypur and Miss Lovely (both 2012), made the rounds there.

“It’s the mecca of cinema. Wahan chaaron taraf acche cinema ki baat hoti hai, box office collection ki baat nahin hoti. Hum jo collection ki baatein kar kar ke cinema dekh rahe hain na aaj kal....Wahan uski baat nahin hoti,” shares the actor.

Does he feel that most of our good films don’t get noticed enough in our country, but a screening or award at an international film festival gets the buzz going? Siddiqui says that it doesn’t happen even then. “Hamare yahaan tab bhi notice nahin karte, even after the films get recognition outside. Uske baad bhi hamare yahan uss tarah ki films ko screening nahin milti. I have a film, No Land's Man (2021). It’s going to the Sydney Film Festival. Can you believe that no OTT platform is ready to take that film? It’s such a fast, beautiful film. Cinema mein release karna toh door ki baat hai. I feel so disheartened,” he ends.

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

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

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

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

Nawazuddin Siddiqui is a noted name in the industry, so it’s natural that the actor is continuously approached for work. He reveals that “in the last three months”, he was approached for as many as “200 scripts”. He adds, “But I chose only five films after much deliberation.”

Siddiqui says he isn’t someone who likes to chase fame or money. “I felt that they (projects that he accepted) were correct offers for me to experiment with,” he tells us.

Considering that he chose five out of 200, ask him if he read the entire script that’s being offered to him before making the final decision, and he explains, “It (the role) should be character-driven. It’s okay if it (the movie) has no content... Just tell me whether my character will make me feel uncomfortable or not. And I will choose the one that makes me feel that way.”

About the process, the 47-year-old further elaborates, “I listen to one-liners about my characters. And if I am interested, then I tell my assistant to give me a narration of the story, or tell the makers to come and narrate it to me.”

Meanwhile, ask him why we don’t see him jetting off to exotic locations to unwind and relax like many of his peers, and Siddiqui says he finds relaxation in his job itself. “Kuchh logon ko shauk hota hai relax karne ke liye travel karne ka. I am at ease when I am on set. It’s a spiritual journey. I am not the person jisko peace ke liye pahaadon mein jaana hota hai, ya kahin aur. Even if I go, I don’t think that I will rest. Main [rest] nahin karna chahta kyunki main kaam ko enjoy kar raha hoon. I relax [when I am working],” says Siddiqui, who is set to be seen in Tiku Weds Shera next.

His new Mumbai home has been winning hearts ever since its first pictures appeared online. But more than the construction, it was the interior designing process that got actor Nawazuddin Siddiqui excited and involved.

“I never consciously planned to get a new house. Ghar hona chahiye — iss concept mein mera belief hi nahin tha. Someone showed me the plot, so I thought let’s do it (make a house). Things kept happening, and after I purchased it, I realised I had studied architecture and aesthetics at the National School of Drama. I had also studied scenic design in my first year. [As far as the interiors were concerned] I was clear that the minimal it is, the more impact it will have,” says the 47-year-old.

Located in Yari Road, Versova, it took him three years to complete the house, thanks to the pandemic. Siddiqui says a lot of hard work was invested into making the house and those associated with him during the process could relate to his emotions for the place, as he’s made a mark for himself after a lot of struggle.

“Logon ne kahin na kahin mera struggle dekha hai, shayad isi liye khushi hoti hai unhe. I don’t know main kitna rahunga uss ghar mein, kyunki meri aadhi life toh vanity van mein hi guzar gayi. Wahi toh rona hai. Zyaada time toh set pe hi rehta hoon,” says the actor.

But Siddiqui isn’t complaining. In fact, he likes to stay busy. “To keep working is important and that gives me a lot of happiness. About the house, it’s where I go and rest. I have only used three colours — wooden (brown), white and sky blue — in the entire house; you won’t find a fourth colour. There is also a garden, and a cabin, where I plan to read the scripts, and think,” the Sacred Games actor signs off.

As she shifts gears from acting to production for her debut project, Tiku Weds Sheru, Kangana Ranaut has found in leading man Nawazuddin Siddiqui, an ardent supporter. Joining the string of filmmakers who’ve vouched for Ranaut’s prowess behind the cameras, Siddiqui says, “Kangana is a great producer and turns up on set each day. The way she adores her actors and takes care of them is amazing. The unit is very happy with her. All her suggestions only enhance the film, there is no interference from her,” says the actor of the Manikarnika Films venture, which was being shot in Mumbai before the unit shifted base to Bhopal.

Tiku Weds Sheru sees Siddiqui in a different light. His attempt at learning salsa to shake a leg with co-star Avneet Kaur was among the highlights of his journey. Years of experience in the industry, he says, hasn’t made him as calculative as it has experimental.

“If I were a calculative actor, I would have played safe roles. I wouldn’t have been able to play the unique characters that I have. I would be more concerned about the box-office [numbers], and would have wanted a heroine [in all my films]. But, I was keen to explore a zone that made me uncomfortable, and I focused on that.”

Pre-empting whether a film would be successful is not how he goes about choosing projects. “If the story needs to be told, I will be part of it, even if it makes me uncomfortable. We need to step out of our comfort zones.”

Salsa isn’t the first thing you associate with Nawazuddin Siddiqui. But trying his hand at new things is a classic trait of the actor. So, while he is giving romantic stories a go with Tiku Weds Sheru, he has also picked up a move or two for a dance number in Kangana Ranaut’s production. “The choreographer made me do salsa and some more dance [styles]. The [team] gauged that I [understand] rhythm, so they made me practice before I faced the camera. They were more confident about my skills than I was,” laughs Siddiqui, who was recently nominated at the International Emmy Awards.

After lying low in 2021, the actor will be seen in several films in the coming year, including Heropanti 2, Jogira Sara Ra Ra and Bole Chudiyan. It is interesting to note how he is consciously choosing movies that are completely at odds with the dark films he is known for. Siddiqui says he is enjoying mainstream offerings like Heropanti 2, where he will be seen playing a billionaire.

“In mainstream films, I don’t know why people always look at me through a different lens. In art films, people look at me as a common man, while commercial filmmakers make me look rich. It’s all a matter of perception.”

Not surprisingly, the actor is bringing his own quirk to the role in the Tiger Shroff-starrer. “For the character of a billionaire, I tried to ape Vinod Khanna’s walk. I personally adored his walking style. I had worked with him on a TV serial years ago, but unfortunately, it was never released. I tried to capture his [gait], while exaggerating it a little.”

He views mainstream projects — from romantic dramas to actioners — as his attempt to step out of his comfort zone. “For me, even romantic films are an experiment because I have never done them before. In the midst of hardcore cinema, if I get to do a romantic film, I feel good as an actor.”