Showing posts with label Shora Siddiqui. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Shora Siddiqui. Show all posts
Not comfortable with dating apps either; I come from village jahan honour killings hoti thi-Nawazuddin Siddiqui
3:26 PM
Renuka Vyavahare (BOMBAY TIMES; September 4, 2026)
Nawazuddin Siddiqui’s daughter, Shora, has inherited her father’s piercing eyes, while her features recall a young Aishwarya Rai. At 16, the actor-to-be, who is set to make her film debut in an Arijit Singh project, is much like any other teenager, spirited, easygoing and seemingly unaware of just how striking she is. In her first-ever media interview, Shora sat down with her father for a candid conversation about life, love and career. While Nawazuddin advised her to stay away from junk food and opt for healthier choices, Shora was quick to turn the tables on him: vaping isn’t healthy either, she pointed out. Excerpts...
What’s your take on modern love and relationships? Do you discuss this with each other?
Shora: At 16, I want to focus on my studies, but I do share stories about my crushes with Mom. I’m also starting to open up to Dad. He doesn’t react at all (laughs). He’s a very protective father and doesn’t approve of anyone for me, period. I strongly believe that self-love is the most important thing. You can’t wait around for someone else to complete you. So many people choose to be single and are perfectly happy. I don’t believe in soulmates. With relationships falling apart, expecting someone to stay with you forever seems unrealistic. Also, you can’t shop for love on dating apps. Go out and meet people, bro! And if you don’t find anyone, that’s okay too.
Nawaz: I’m not comfortable with dating apps either. Jis gaon se main belong karta hoon, wahan honour killings hoti thi. When I was 16, I had a crush on a girl. For three years, I just kept looking at her. Himmat hi nahi hui kabhi usse baat karne ki. And agar soulmates hote, toh divorces nahi hote.
As far as my daughter is concerned, she can decide for herself once she turns 18. But tab tak usko sambhal ke rakhna mera kartavya hai. I am a protective father. She is driven and focused on her studies, so I’m happy. Yeh saari cheezein bata deti hain. Woh kaafi samajhdaar hai, which is great.
What is the biggest misconception about Gen Z?
Nawaz: We tend to underestimate Gen Z. We often think, “Yeh log mast-maula hain.” Shora sleeping for 10-12 hours some days used to bother me. I barely sleep for six hours, even on my days off. I follow a routine, believe in discipline and reading, and expect her to do the same. But I’ve realized that Gen Z has its own way of doing things, and that doesn’t necessarily make them irresponsible.
For instance, I needed a makeup artist for this shoot, while Shora did her own makeup. We recently returned from the US after performing our 90-minute Hindi play in nine cities. I’ve been doing theatre and acting for decades, but this was Shora’s stage debut and she was completely unfazed. I was the nervous one!
I’ve worked with fellow NSD actors, so I know the pressure that comes with performing on stage. I kept going over my lines, worrying about whether she would remember hers. I was excessively focused, while she was casually practicing her martial arts moves before the play began. She didn’t forget a single line. The only thing she complained about was having to repeat the entire play after the fourth performance, but she kept going. Gen Z may approach life differently, but that doesn’t mean they lack ambition. I realised that after working with her.
Shora, do you think the students’ protests changed how we perceive Gen Z—from the “reel generation” to change-makers?
Shora: I’m glad people realized that there’s more to us than reels and TikTok. We have it in us to voice our concerns and bring about change, and I’m proud of what we can achieve. I often wonder why something as basic as speaking up is misinterpreted as disrespect or rebellion. What’s wrong with standing up for yourself? Sharing your opinion isn’t the same as talking back. Blindly taking orders and conforming often comes from fear, not respect.
Do you envy the Gen Z mindset, Nawaz?
Nawaz: I do. At 16, I didn’t even know what clothes to wear. At 16, she knows which profile works best on camera. I wish I had the freedom to express my thoughts to my parents and seniors the way she does. That is my biggest regret. Kaash hum bhi khulke baat kar paate apne seniors se.
Look at the students’ protests. These kids are bearing the brunt of our silence and inaction. If someone ill-treated or disrespected us, hum log sunke lete the, bolne se darte the. We were spineless; they are not. They question everything. They don’t think speaking up or talking back is wrong, and I find that inspiring. I constantly feel that my seniors know more, and now the youngsters know more. Hum beech mein phas gaye hain.
What is that one quality you admire in each other?
Shora: He’s mature. He knows right from wrong, thinks before he acts, whereas I act before I think. I want to learn that from him, but I also wish he would listen more. When I express myself, don’t dismiss my opinion by saying, “You’re being difficult.” Hear me out first. I also want to be as good an actor as he is. I’m keen on filmmaking too.
Nawaz: Gen Z has access to information and isn’t in awe of anyone. They don’t mistake self-expression for disrespect, and I find that inspiring. If I’m disciplining Shora, she’ll tell me, “Don’t raise your voice. Don’t be rude.” I never had the courage to say that to my father. She’s unapologetic about her ambitions and also knows how to enjoy life. Inko life jeeni hai; hum log sirf mehnat karte reh gaye. I’m learning from her that you don’t have to suffer to prove your worth. My struggles made me stronger and convinced me ke suffer kiye bagair kuch haaseel hi nahi ho sakta. Shora doesn't believe that but I want her to be strong and adaptable enough to weather any storm.
Reading is becoming archaic in the age of scrolling. What’s your take?
Nawaz: I’m not against technology. The problem is not using your mind and becoming too reliant on or invested in virtual life. Mindless scrolling as an escape is scary because it’s unproductive. Kids don’t think reading is relevant anymore, and that’s affecting their memory and attention spans. Reading improves your ability to think, imagine and remember.
Aaj ke actors ka career paanch saal se zyada chalna mushkil hai because, I feel, they lack the imagination that comes from reading and experiencing life. Where is the source material? Shah Rukh, Salman and Aamir dominated for 35 years for a reason. Woh achieve karna aasaan nahi hai. I want Shora to read more and work on her Hindi and Devanagari.
Shora: For acting, I do read books, but otherwise I prefer my phone. I get easily distracted while reading and find it hard to focus. If you want to learn something, why not learn it on your phone?
Gen Z questions everything; they aren’t spineless like my generation
Citing the recent students’ protests, Nawaz believes today’s youngsters have achieved what his generation couldn’t. “They are bearing the brunt of our silence and inaction. If someone ill-treated or disrespected us, hum sunke lete thay, bolne se darte thay, because hum dare hue log thay. These kids question everything. They aren’t spineless, and I believe they will bring about positive change.”
Once I started doing movies, theatre se darr lagne laga-Nawazuddin Siddiqui
10:54 AM
Onkar Kulkarni (BOMBAY TIMES; July 28, 2026)
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.
‘I started feeling that as an artiste I haven’t done something challenging for long’
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.”
‘Depth wale characters hote hain theatre mein. Cinema mein limitations hoti hain’
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.”
‘Theatre actors have brought realism into this industry’
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.’”
‘Shora hasn’t even seen much of my work’
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.”
Nawazuddin Siddiqui still put in the effort so Shora could catch up-Paritosh Painter
4:49 PM
Paritosh Painter on staging Naqaab with Nawazuddin Siddiqui and daughter Shora
Onkar Kulkarni (MUMBAI MIRROR; July 20, 2026)
For Paritosh Painter, convincing Nawazuddin Siddiqui to return to the stage after decades came with immense pressure. The writer-director recalls walking into their first meeting knowing he had just one chance to impress the acclaimed actor. Nawazuddin stars in Painter’s play Naqaab, which also marks the acting debut of his daughter, Shora. The team is currently on an international tour, staging the play for audiences across the world.
Paritosh recalls, “When I was meeting him, I knew I had only one chance. If he said no, it was over. He has done every kind of role as an actor, so the challenge was to bring something interesting and challenging to the table. I’m happy he liked what we narrated. He also contributed ideas, and we developed the play together. The challenge was how to excite a man who has done every kind of role, but he loved the script.”
Paritosh says one of Nawazuddin’s biggest requests was to preserve the authenticity of theatre. “Nawaz bhai wanted the feel of theatre. He didn’t want LED screens as the backdrop. He wanted an actual set.”
That commitment extended to every aspect of the production. Nawazuddin has five to six costume changes during the play, with brief pauses built into the performance to allow him time to change backstage.
“We gave him a short break so he has time to go backstage, change and come back. I keep asking him, ‘Do you need more time?’ He says, ‘No! I want to do it quickly and come back.’ He loves challenges. They give him a great high,” shares Paritosh.
Speaking about directing Shora, he says, “When we did the first reading, Shora was quite raw. She studied in an American school and later in London, so her command over English was good, but her Hindi was weak, and this is a full-fledged Hindi play. She put in a lot of effort and used to sit with my assistants to improve.”
Nawazuddin was equally invested in helping his daughter settle into the production. Paritosh says, “Nawaz bhai didn’t need to spend much time in rehearsals. After about 10 readings, he was ready. But he still put in the effort so Shora could catch up. He has done around 90 run-throughs of the play.”
I didn’t come into films because I wanted a fan club-Nawazuddin Siddiqui
3:02 PM
Mohar Basu (MID-DAY; May 8, 2026)
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.
Take a cue from Kerala
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.
Unlike Bollywood, South films cast ‘actors’ in Rs. 200 cr movies-Nawazuddin Siddiqui
11:14 AM
Mugdha Kapoor (HINDUSTAN TIMES; May 10, 2025)
Actor Nawazuddin Siddiqui has blamed Bollywood’s star culture for audiences’ declining interest in watching films in theatres. “There are two kinds of actors — industry actors and public actors. Industry actors ko public itna nahin chahti, but unki films aapke ghar ke darwaaze mein lagi hoti hai. Aapko majboori mein dekhna padta hai,” says Nawazuddin, whose film Costao premiered on OTT recently.
He adds, “People want to see public actors on screen. Be it Om (Puri) sahab, Irrfan bhai, Manoj Bajpayee ya Naseeruddin Shah, inko duniya dekhna chahti hain, par inki films itne bade scale mein release nahin hoti.”
The 50-year-old also points out the difference between Bollywood and the South film industries: “In the South industry, the films that make Rs. 500 crore or Rs. 1,000 crore at the box office features actors. In Bollywood, jinko lekar Rs. 100 crore, Rs. 200 crore ki movies banayi jaati hain, woh South ke talent se kahin match hi nahin karti. Unko mor (peacock) ki tarah sajaaya jaata hai gaanon, choreography aur action ke saath, uske baad bhi [hit ki] guarantee nahin hain.”
On being part of Gangs Of Wasseypur 3: “Film banegi hi nahin. Woh director (Anurag Kashyap) hi nahin chahta. The good thing about him is that he’s not stuck in nostalgia.”
Has he been approached for Bajrangi Bhaijaan 2? “I don’t have any information on a sequel being made. It depends on them (the makers). I cannot be ‘Main first mein tha toh mujhe bhi lo’. It doesn’t work like that. Agar unki zaroorat hogi, toh hum haazir ho jayenge.”
When asked if his 14-year-old daughter Shora Siddiqui wants to enter the film industry, Nawazuddin says, “Abhi toh nahin, she is completing her studies now. But she is interested in acting.” So, how does he plan to support her? “Usko training aur workshop karwaunga,” he shares.
Nawazuddin Siddiqui’s daughter Shora to follow in his footsteps
7:47 AM
Renuka Vyavahare (BOMBAY TIMES; April 24, 2024)
Nawazuddin Siddiqui’s daughter Shora, who is a spitting image of her talented father, is all set to follow in his footsteps. The 13-year-old is keen on taking up acting professionally given her strong liking for performing arts. Nawaz, who has trained actors and conducted workshops with them in his early years, is clear that acting needs to be learned and needs appropriate training.
Talking about his daughter stepping into his profession, the National School of Drama (NSD) alumnus tells us, “I want Shora to follow her dreams. She is 13 and is all set to pursue performing arts. I have enrolled her into an acting school. I want her to be a trained actor if she wishes to take up acting professionally. Acting is an art and it helps to be prepared. I am there for her and will always support her in every way possible, but just that isn’t enough. I will even take her to the best acting schools and workshops. If you want something badly, you need to put your best foot forward and do it with all your heart.”
My daughter is fascinated by the process of filmmaking-Nawazuddin Siddiqui
11:17 PM
Renuka Vyavahare (BOMBAY TIMES; March 28, 2021)
Nawazuddin Siddiqui’s daughter Shora often accompanies him to his film set. We hear, the girl isn’t just intrigued by her father’s performances or retakes, but the whole process of filmmaking.
Nawaz says, “It’s too early to say, but I do believe that she’ll choose a career in films. Of course, she should finish her education first. But I do notice her observing the minutest details on the set. She will closely study how the director operates, cinematographer works and actors execute the scenes. She is not the kind to just visit the set and do her own thing. She likes to get involved and understand how it all works. She is fascinated by the process of filmmaking. I won’t be surprised if she aspires to be a filmmaker one day.”
When younger, Shora was even more protective of her father. “She would hush the people in the theatre who laughed at my character or lines. She thought they were laughing at her father. Back then, she was too young to understand what was happening, but now she is pretty aware,” shares the actor.
Apparently, Nawaz’s little girl was even offered parts in films as a child actor, but the actor insisted that she complete her education first.
Motichoor Chaknachoor is the first time that I’ve done such a family entertainer-Nawazuddin Siddiqui
8:02 AM
Rachana Dubey (BOMBAY TIMES; November 12, 2019)
After a series of intense roles, Nawazuddin Siddiqui is relieved to work in a comedy film. Motichoor Chaknachoor, directed by Debamitra Biswal, has the actor as the hero of the story with Athiya Shetty as his leading lady. The film revolves around marriages in small-town-India. As evident in the trailer, Nawaz’s character is that of a man who has gone past what’s considered to be ‘marriageable’ age, while Athiya plays a girl who aspires to marry a man who can fulfil her desire to travel abroad.
When we met Nawazuddin recently for a chat, he told us how this is his first film that's got a U/A certificate and that he is glad that his daughter, Shora, can watch this one with him. “This is the first time that I’ve done such a family entertainer. It has romance and a lot of humour, which is not vulgar or double-meaning and it was a relief to do all of this. I didn’t have to do any kind of prep as such for this role. It’s a light-hearted film, which is a break from the serious fare that I often pick,” he said.
Underlining the importance of a light, frothy entertainer at this juncture in his career, he added, “For an actor, every film is equally important. When I started shooting for this film, I was actually coming out of an intense project, which had exhausted me emotionally. I needed either a light film to flush that out of my system or a two-month holiday. A film like this helped me rejuvenate my senses.”
For those who have followed Nawaz’s trajectory, it’s hard to imagine him frontline a comedy film. When we brought this up, he said, “I started my career in theatre with comedy, so much that it was hard for them to imagine me in any serious role. In fact, I had acted in around 200 comedy plays. When I came to Mumbai, I started out with serious roles because I needed a break from that.”
In the film, Nawaz has been paired with Athiya, who is years younger than him, both in terms of age and experience. So, did it ever get awkward while creating chemistry on screen with her? The actor said, “No, I just had to channel my thoughts... ki agar isi ladki se sach-much romance karta toh kya hota aur kaisa hota (laughs!). I really enjoyed working with Athiya. She did a two-month workshop and picked up the dialect really well. I met her for the first time at the narration table and then straight on the set. She came prepared and was equipped to play her part. This film will actually show people how well she acts.”
Motichoor Chaknachoor, produced by Viacom18 Studios and Woodpecker Movies’ Rajesh and Kiran Bhatia, releases on November 15.
The script of Thackeray sequel is being worked on-Nawazuddin Siddiqui
7:56 AM
Denying rumours that Thackeray sequel has been shelved, Nawazuddin Siddiqui asserts part two of the biopic will go on floors in due time
Sonil Dedhia (MID-DAY; November 1, 2019)
Even before the Nawazuddin Siddiqui-starrer Thackeray hit screens in January, producer Sanjay Raut had announced that the biopic on Balasaheb Thackeray, the late Shiv Sena supremo, would be a two-part affair. The filmmaker had reasoned that it would be a challenge to sum up the life of the leader — who was charismatic and controversial in equal measure — in one film. However, of late, rumours have been rife that the sequel to the Abhijit Panse-directed venture has been shelved.Broach the subject with Siddiqui, who counts his turn as Thackeray amongst his most defining roles, and he assures that the team is making steady progress on the script of the second instalment. "The initial idea was to make the film in two parts, so, the question of shelving it doesn't arise at all. Also, the first film received a good response. The script is currently being worked on. I had spoken to Sanjay Raut a few months ago and he assured me that the second part will be made," he smiles. However, the actor refuses to put a timeline to the project. "They [the makers] were busy with the elections, and I am tied up with my movies. Playing the character would require me to get into the mould again. So, it will take some time before we set the ball rolling."
Siddiqui, who is known for his proclivity to the gritty cinema, will next be seen in the romantic comedy, Motichoor Chaknachoor, that also features Athiya Shetty. The actor explains that greenlighting light-hearted films are a calculated move to reach out to a wider audience base. "Most of my films are A-rated. So, the family audience cannot watch them, nor can my daughter [Shora]. So, I am actively doing films that she can watch. My next, Bole Chudiyan, directed by my brother, is in a similar space."
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.
This was my first vacation in five years-Nawazuddin Siddiqui
2:26 PM
Nawazuddin Siddiqui after holidaying with his wife and kids is all geared up to play the writer-playwright Manto
Natasha Coutinho (MUMBAI MIRROR; August 19, 2016)
It's rare to spot Nawazuddin Siddiqui with his family in public so
pictures of him sightseeing in Melbourne with wife, Aaliya, and
children, Shora and Yaani, immediately caught the eye. Even the actor
admits that this was his first family vacation in five years, and the
first time he had taken his kids abroad on a holiday. "Normally I'm so
caught up with my shoots that we hardly get time to be together. Even in
Mumbai it's hard, but when we were in Australia earlier this week, we
made time to go to the Melbourne beach and the zoo. We even went
shopping," he beams.He points out that now that Shora is almost six, it's important for him as a father to take her places and give her experiences to remember. "She is usually busy with studies and sports, but you have to give children breaks too," he reasons.
Does he see Shora growing up to follow in his footsteps? "No, neither she nor my wife are in the slightest bit interested in my work... Watching movies, discussing them, visiting my sets or meeting my co-actors. Even if I talk about films at home, there's little interest or participation," he laughs, not in the slightest bit put out. "My daughter enjoys skating and football and we encourage her to train in both."
He will be seen romancing Amy Jackson in his upcoming film, the Sohail Khan-directed sports drama, Freaky Ali. Not much is known about his real life love story, how did he romance Aaliya? The 42-year-old actor shrugs, "It's a simple story without much drama. I married the girl I fell in love with. Period."
And does he plan to continue doing more romantic films? "Oh yes, I'm in talks for a few. My mind is on love stories now, I plan to do five-six more, back-to-back," he reveals.
However, next up on his list is a more intense drama, Nandita Das's next directorial, the Manto biopic. The actor is visibly excited to play the Indo-Pakistani writer, playwright and author, considered among the greatest writers of short stories in South Asia.
"Manto is a challenging project. We are focussing on highlighting his talent; he could write a story in a fraction of a second. We will also be focussing on the post-Partition film industry and his association with Ashok Kumar, besides looking at the upheavals his career went through after he moved to Pakistan," he informs, adding that the film is being made on a lavish scale. "I'm glad I'm getting to play such an intelligent man. We have begun prep and it should roll by mid-November. I have been watching plays written by Manto for a while now, but Nandita told me a lot of things about him which I had not known. I want to play him with all honesty."
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