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Nawazuddin Siddiqui is one of those stars who is full of talents and surprises everyone with his outstanding performances. Started his career by working in art cinemas but soon he moved towards the mainstream and gained massive recognition. Meanwhile, a few years back the actor confessed to not watching regular Bollywood films, instead, he used to watch Dada Kondke’s films, he also recalled watching C grade films in his village.
Although the actor has worked in a few prominent films during the initial days of his career he came into the limelight after the success of Gangs of Wasseypur. A lot of doors opened for him after working with Anurag Kashyap which helped him work with other major filmmakers and actors. He was last seen playing the role of the main antagonist, Laila in Tiger Shroff starrer Heropanti 2.
Back in 2012, Nawazuddin Siddiqui in a conversation with Filmfare recalled the time when he watched C grade films. He told the portal, “I used to watch a lot of Joginder films like Ranga Khush and Bindya Aur Bandook. There were films in which p*rn clips were inserted. My friends and I would stand outside and ask people who came out of the show, ‘Scene veene hain kya isme?’”
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“Depending on the feedback we’d buy the tickets. I never used to watch Bollywood commercial films. These are two extremes. I love the sensitivity in world cinema and the double meaning humour in Dada Kondke’s films,” Nawazuddin Siddiqui added.
He also spoke about his first meeting with Anurag Kashyap and how he was roped in for a role in Black Friday, he told, “Anurag was also struggling to make it as a director in the industry. He’d seen my blink and miss role in Sarfarosh. I performed a theatre piece in front of him. He promised to offer me work. That’s how Black Friday happened.”
Further, Nawazuddin Siddiqui also recalled the exact moment when he decided to take up acting, “Dacoits, thefts and killings were a usual way of life in my village. I didn’t want to spend my life in that atmosphere.” Back in the day, the actor started working in a petrochemical factory and watched a play with his friend, “I was blown away by the art. It was so pure. It attracted me. I understood that acting is a nude art. The way you act will fetch you that kind of reaction. I saw about 200 plays and later got selected in NSD.”
Due to NSD, the actor stayed in Delhi for four years where he acted in various street plays, “The pay was bad. I used to have chai and biscuits for breakfast, lunch and dinner. One day I got frustrated and came to Mumbai in search of work.”
After coming to the city of dreams, Nawazuddin Siddiqui felt he’ll get work easily because he was an NSD student, “Television serials mein bhikaari ka bhi role karne ke liye che foot ka hona padta hain. There was an ad with Sachin Tendulkar and a few dhobis. I was one of the dhobis.”
Stay tuned to Koimoi for more throwback stories.
