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."

Shreya Mukherjee (HINDUSTAN TIMES; June 5, 2020)

Actor Nawazuddin Siddiqui’s 21-year-old niece has filed a sexual harassment case against his younger brother, at Jamia Nagar police station in Delhi on Monday after which she left for Budhana, Uttar Pradesh, to be with her in-laws. Since Siddiqui’s family also resides there, she shares that she is “worried about everyone’s safety”.

She tells us, “I’ve lived my whole life in distress. Even after marriage, these people have been torturing me, my husband and my in-laws, and would file cases against us.”

She shares that soon after she filed the FIR, Nawazuddin called her for the first time in five years. “Nawaz bade papa called on Tuesday night and said ‘you’re like my daughter, you know how much I love you’. Unhone yeh bhi bola ki unko yeh sab pata nahi tha and that he’s there for any help I need. But he knows everything as I had told him and my entire family about it, and requested their help,” she reveals.

Alleging that now Siddiqui family has threatened her to withdraw the complaint, she claims, “We were informed that we’ll be in trouble if we don’t take the case back.”

When contacted, Nawazuddin said, “Thank you for your concern, but on this, no comment.” His other brother, director Shamas Nawab Siddiqui tweeted, “... It indicates the motive behind publicising this fake things in media. Truth will be uncovered soonest. @CPDelhi #NawazuddinSiddiqui”

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.

In a chat with BT, Aaliya opens up on why she finally decided to end their marriage of 10 years
Renuka Vyavahare (BOMBAY TIMES; May 19, 2020)

On Monday, Aaliya Siddiqui’s lawyer Abhay Sahai informed BT that a legal notice has been sent to actor Nawazuddin Siddiqui on behalf of his wife, who is seeking divorce and maintenance.

Aaliya, a budding film producer, told BT, “There are a lot of things that I don’t want to bring in the public domain as of now, but our problems started soon after we got married over a decade ago. Two months of lockdown gave me a lot of time to introspect. Self-respect is extremely important in a marriage. Woh meri khatam ho chuki thi, I didn’t have that. I was made to feel like a nobody, I always felt alone. His brother Shamas was also an issue. I have gone back to my original name, Anjana Kishor Pandey. I don’t want to be reminded that I am using someone’s identity for my benefit.”

She added, “I want to go with the flow. I haven’t thought much about the future, but I don’t want this marriage anymore. There are no chances of reconciliation.” Aaliya hopes to get the sole custody of her two children. She said, “I have raised them and I want their custody.”

Aaliya’s lawyer Abhay told BT, “We sent the legal notice to Nawazuddin on May 7, 2020, via email and WhatsApp, as we couldn’t send it through post due to the Coronavirus lockdown. Our client, Mrs Siddiqui, has also sent him the notice, but he hasn’t responded till date. The notice claims maintenance and divorce. I would not like to get into the contents of the notice, as the allegations are serious and sensitive to the Siddiqui family.”

We also reached out to Nawazuddin, who didn’t wish to comment at this time.

Shalabh Anand Bajpai (DNA; October 9, 2019)

For Shamas Siddiqui, casting his famous actor brother, Nawazuddin Siddiqui, in his mainstream directorial debut would seem like a no-brainer. However, that isn’t really the reason why Nawaz is part of Tammannaah Bhatia starrer Bole Chudiyan. “Nawaz bhai was always on my mind for this role because he has lived the village life that I’ve shown in the film. This is how I have seen him since we were kids,” Shamas explains, adding, “Many incidents in the film are inspired by him — the way he used to romance in the village, write love letters on kites and fly them, among many other things.” Here, Shamas talks about his relationship with the Gangs of Wasseypur actor, their days of struggle and more.

Tell us something about your film Bole Chudiyan?
It’s a simple story of a Muslim guy and a girl whose marriage is fixed by their grandfathers when they are children. They fall in love when they grow up and from there, the twists and turns start. The girl’s family comes between them, and a fight ensues. I can’t reveal much but the audience will like the movie as they will see Nawaz bhai in a different and new avatar. Also, the audience will connect with the argument in the court at the end.

Nawaz is far from being a romantic hero. How did you mould him for this role?
Casting him was a tough job as he is extremely busy with his commitments. But I told him he needs to take a break from work for at least three months. At the time, he had just wrapped up Sacred Games 2, so it was extremely difficult for me to get him out of the Ganesh Gaitonde mode. I gave him some exercises to do for the role. But I think this film is on Nawaz Bhai for real because this is how he is in real life.



As a director, are you critical of his performances?
Of course! When he acts well, I praise him. At the same time, when he does not perform well in a movie, I tell him, ‘isse accha kar sakte the aap par aapne try nahi kiya,’ and he takes my words very seriously because he has seen me working behind the camera. He treats me as like a critic.

How do you look back at your journey in the industry till now?
Nawaz bhai came to Mumbai in 2001 and I came here in 2005. I started my career as an assistant director but that time, ADs wouldn’t get a proper stipend. We were both struggling. There were days when we’d sleep without proper food. Then, I started moving towards television, where I got a break and money. I became chief assistant director.

What kind of a bond do you and Nawaz share?
Nawaz bhai is very supportive but not indulgent. My other siblings and I are scared of him because he’s the oldest among us. He treats us just like a father. It’s been 15 years since we are in Mumbai but we’ve never talked more than work. It’s more of a professional thing with him.

Since you’re entering the industry after Nawaz, you will be called his brother. Are you okay with that?
Yes, I am happy if people call me his brother because firstly, he is elder to me. Secondly, he started working in the industry before I did. I don’t have any issues with what people call me. I am happy that we both have started from scratch and achieved what we wanted.

Your last short film Miyan Kal Aana was appreciated and received many awards at international platforms…
In 2015, I made this film Miyan Kal Aana (Mister Come Tomorrow), which is on the controversial practice of Nikah Halala (where a woman divorced through triple talaq marries another man, consummates the wedding and divorces again to remarry her former husband). Once the film was made, I was not ready to release it in India because it’s on Islam. I was scared to show it here. The practice was not followed by many people in metros but in small cities and villages, it was normal. I have seen couples suffer due to the custom, and women suffer the most.

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.

Avinash Lohana (MUMBAI MIRROR; July 13, 2019)

Nawazuddin Siddiqui is gearing up to kick off brother Shamas’s directorial debut, Bole Chudiyan, in Mandawa, a town in the Jhunjhunu district of Rajasthan, from July 25. Now, Mirror has learnt that the actor will be rapping a song for the love story today. Titled “Swaggy Chudiyan”, it’s penned by Kumaar and composed by Inder and Sunny Bawra.

Shamas informs that his leading man plays a bangle seller who later sets up his own factory and uses the song to market his merchandise. “When I sounded him out, he was a little hesitant, but after some rehearsals with Kumaar and the composer duo, he got into the groove and now is excited to record for his first rap song,” he says, quick to add that “Swaggy Chudiyan” is not a promotional track but takes the narrative forward.

The rap has a rustic flavour to it and will be filmed in Rajasthan. “Many actors have been singing for their films and considering that the rap was written with Nawaz bhai’s character in mind, we thought it’s best if he sings it himself since it suits his voice well,” adds Shamas.

Tamannaah Bhatia has been roped in to play the leading lady in the Rajesh and Kiren Bhatia production. Anurag Kashyap will be seen in a pivotal role while South actor Kabir Duhan Singh plays the antagonist.

South actor Kabir Duhan Singh is making his Hindi debut with a love story that features Tamannaah as the leading lady
Avinash Lohana (MUMBAI MIRROR; July 10, 2019)

After Anurag Kashyap, who was brought on board for an important role and Tamannaah Bhatia, who plays the leading lady, Nawazuddin Siddiqui’s romantic film, Bole Chudiyan, has a new addition to the team. The actor’s brother Shamas, who is making his directorial debut with the film, has roped in South actor Kabir Duhan Singh to play the antagonist.

Kabir had made his South debut with Radha Krishna Kumar’s 2015 Telugu action film Jil and went on to feature in several other projects including Ravi Teja’s Kick 2, Ajith Kumar’s Vedalam and director Raghava Lawrence’s Kanchana 3, who is also helming the Hindi adaptation of his Muni 2: Kanchana, titled Laxmmi Bomb, which features Akshay Kumar and Kiara Advani. Talking about Kabir’s character in his film, Shamas says, “Kabir plays Mansoor, Tamannaah’s brother. It’s a very important role and I had spoken to a lot of actors, many among them from the Hindi film industry, but I was the most impressed with Kabir. Besides his good acting skills, he is also a nice person which is important. He hails from Haryana, and his accent is exactly what I wanted for this film. I told him to just be himself.”

Shamas goes on to add that he has already started prepping with Kabir and workshops with all the actors will begin from July 13. “In the film, Kabir hails from a zamindar family, while Nawaz’s character is a middle-class man and the two never get along. There are also three crucial action sequences in the film. We start shooting on July 25 in Mandawa (a town in Jhunjhunu district of Rajasthan) and Kabir will join us in August,” the director informs, adding that the team will also have smaller schedules in Firozabad and Delhi.

For the Siddiqui brothers, the initial plan was to shoot the film in their hometown Budhana, however, due to logistical reasons they had to move to Mandawa. “I have spent more than a year on this film and I am quite excited to start shooting. It’s challenging; when you have good actors on board, the pressure mounts on the director too,” he points out.

BOMBAY TIMES (June 28, 2019)

Putting rumours to rest, Tamannaah Bhatia has been finalised by Woodpecker Movies for the Nawazuddin Siddiqui-starrer, Bole Chudiyan. The shoot of the film, produced by Rajesh Bhatia and Kiran Bhatia, and directed by Shamas Siddiqui, will soon begin in Rajasthan and wrap up in a start-tofinish schedule.

Tamannaah says, “I’m looking forward to this project. The script is good, and this is the first time I will be attempting such a multi-layered character in a mainstream Bollywood film. What really caught my attention was the story, which revolves around a relevant issue.”

Nawaz shares, “I’m happy that Tamannaah has joined our film. I feel that she is the right choice for this role.” On his part, director Shamas adds, “Tamannaah has that spark, along with the dedication that I was looking for in my heroine.”

Kiran Bhatia, who is also the content head of Woodpecker Movies, is also excited about the actress coming on board. She says, “Tamannaah fits the character like a glove. We couldn’t have asked for anyone better.”

Rajesh Bhatia signs off, saying, “Tamannaah and Nawaz bhai make for a great pair. The best part is that she exudes positive energy, and is an extremely dedicated and disciplined artiste.” 

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."

Nawazuddin Siddiqui’s brother Shamas to kick off the crime thriller in February 2019 but is making his directorial debut with two kids
Shravan Shah (MUMBAI MIRROR; April 7, 2018)

While Nawazuddin Siddiqui is currently prepping up for Abhijit Panse’s Thackeray in which he plays the Shiv Sena supremo, his brother Shamas Nawab Siddiqui is gearing up for his directorial debut in feature films with Zero Kilometre which rolls in October. The film is about two sisters, one two years old and the other five, and their journey from Peddar Road to Borivali, then on to Delhi and Garhwal, finally ending on the Indo-Pak border.

“It is about these two siblings from a rich SoBo family and their struggle to live in villages where they are strangers,” informs Shamas who wrote the script in 2012. “Ï love kids and want to dedicate my first feature film to them. It will be a challenge extracting a performance from a two-year-old child so I’m planning a two-month workshop with the girls before I start as this will give them a chance to bond,” Shamas says. Mukesh Chhabra is currently casting for the film which will be shot over 35-40 days and is eying a 2019 release.

Shamas started off as a TV director in 2005 before becoming his brother’s business manager in 2012 post the release of Anurag Kashyap’s Gangs Of Wasseypur. Will Nawaz do a cameo in the film? “No, I am looking for another star as I want to make the film independent of Nawaz bhai as I want to be seen as a credible maker instead of one piggybacking on my brother’s success,” he reasons.

He however has another script written with Nawaz in mind titled Gehu, Ganna Aur Gun. “It was written in 2013 but the climax was penned just 15 days ago. The title came from Nawaz bhai who in the initial stages of his career, when asked what his village was famous for would give this answer. “I registered the title and started writing a script around it. I narrated the first half to Nawaz bhai in 2013 and he had loved it but then he got busy with other films. Now that things are more settled, I returned to the crime thriller which unfolds in western UP. The first draft was perfect but we struggled for an ending for four years. If I liked a climax, my brother didn’t and vice-versa. We finally locked it last fortnight,” says a relieved Shamas who started his innings as a director with a short film, Miyan Kal Aana, which released in 2015. “After that bhai started believing in my work. I’ll give him another narration in a few days complete with the climax.”

Shamas is very clear he won’t make his second feature with any other actor but Nawaz. He plans to kick it off in February 2019 as the film revolves around the weather. “In February there is fog and the sun not so intense and that’s essential to the story. This is also the time sugarcane plantations are ready to be harvested as also wheat fields. I haven’t given Nawaz bhai’s February slots to anyone,” he says, adding that the film will be shot over 60 days and is looking to a 2020 unveiling.

Mishikant Karlikar (THE TIMES OF INDIA; March 18, 2018)

The Thane crime branch probing the illegal procurement of phone call records by arrested celebrity lawyer Rizwan Siddiquee for actor Nawazuddin Siddiqui suspect that he may have sourced records in similar fashion for a Bollywood actress too. The actress, the police said, was engaged in a high-profile spat with another popular face from the film industry last year which led to allegations being traded publicly by both sides.

Call detail records, or CDRs as they are called, may be of help to the actress to establish her case against the one-time colleague on the sets, a police officer said.

At the time of Siddiqui’s arrest on Friday for allegedly sourcing CDRs of Nawazuddin’s wife from a private detective, police had seized two laptops and three mobile phones along with CCTV footage from his office.

"If the lawyer has sourced CDRs of other celebrities or any other person, he could be in serious trouble,” the officer said.

However, Thane police commissioner Param Bir Singh told TOI that Nawazuddin had “no direct role” in the case and police would examine the evidence and also the possible involvement of his brother Shamas.

Rizwan Siddiquee was on Saturday sent to police custody till Mach 23. Advocate Rizwan Merchant, who opposed police custody, said his client was also an advocate and had been made a scapegoat. He said police had violated all procedures set by the apex court for investigation and arrest. “Rizwan always wanted to co-operate with the investigating agencies. He had no role to play in the entire CDR scam,” Merchant said.

He said that when the police had wanted certain evidence about the lawyer’s clients, he had written a letter to the Bar Council of Maharashtra and Goa seeking permission.

But Nitin Thakre, senior inspector with the crime branch, claimed the lawyer was not co-operating with the authorities. Thakre justified the arrest saying the lawyer could have destroyed evidence and said that in another case, an accused had got all data on his mobile phone erased at a remote location.

Outside the magistrate’s court, Merchant alleged that senior Thane police officers were trying to protect Nawazuddin. He refused to give any details though, saying, “Whatever is to be done will be done in a court of law. We believe in fighting such false cases in a court of law.” Merchant said he would also challenge his client’s custodial remand.

For his filmmaker brother Shamas’s music video, Nawazuddin Siddiqui serenades his screen love with symphonic flair in Vienna
Avinash Lohana (MUMBAI MIRROR; October 20, 2017)

Nawazuddin Siddiqui will now be seen in brother Shamas Siddiqui’s music video. The song, “Simple Things”, was shot earlier this year with Austrian model Cosima Eibensteiner in Vienna, when the 43-year-old actor was researching for a German film that will be shot in May-June next year.

“I came up with the idea while we were in Austria and pitched it to an Austrian production company who agreed to partner with us. Vienna is a very romantic place and popular by the name of Mozart City. Incidentally, Nawaz bhai is a huge Mozart fan so we decided to incorporate this little detail in the story— an Indian guy visits the Mozart house to witness a live recital. He meets a girl there and they fall for each other,” informs Shamas.

Nawaz, who celebrated his 43rd birthday on May 19 with a live recital at Mozart’s house in Vienna, acknowledges his fondness for the legend, saying, “I have loved Mozart’s symphonies since my NSD (National School of Drama) days, “Eine Kleine Nachtmusik, K 525 Allegro” is my favourite. When we were in Vienna this summer, I fell in love with the city. Every lane is filled with music. The best part about this music video was Shamas getting the composers to create a song with my favourite piece of Mozart in it.”

Shamas adds that he’d wanted to use a Hindi song by Arijit Singh but chose to go ahead with an English one sung by an American. “Nawaz bhai was a little shy to start with. When I would tell him to hold the actress’s hand, he would get even more nervous. So I gave them two days off to get comfortable with each other. I can’t wait for everyone to see it,” he says.

Sonil Dedhia (MID-DAY; September 7, 2017)

If the commercial success of his latest offering Babumoshai Bandookbaaz isn’t reason enough to celebrate, Nawazuddin Siddiqui now has another cause to make merry. The actor’s brother Shamas recently gifted him his first luxury car, a black Mercedes SUV, to mark his latest accomplishment.

Evidently moved by the gesture, Siddiqui tells midday, “I did not expect Shamas to get me such a lovely car. It probably is the most expensive gift I have ever received. I have concentrated on my work, never focusing on the perks, but, this is special. I will cherish it.”

His brother says he was always on the lookout to shower his love on Siddiqui, but was awaiting the right moment. “Babumoshai Bandookbaaz is his first solo hit, so, I realised that this was the right time to gift him a car. He is a simple person and had been using his old car for four years.”

Talking about the success of the film, Siddiqui says, “Though it is an offbeat film, it was liked by critics and viewers. I’m glad it is reaching the masses.”

Sanyukta Iyer (MUMBAI MIRROR; April 10, 2017)

Sandeep Rai (THE TIMES OF INDIA; October 30, 2016)

Renuka Vyavahare (BOMBAY TIMES; January 19, 2016)