Nawazuddin Siddiqui has become a household name and celebrated as one of the most compelling actors in Indian cinema. Early in his career, he appeared in films like ‘Sarfarosh’ and ‘Munna Bhai MBBS’, usually cast as a background character or a goon who gets roughed up by the leads.
Early struggles in Bollywood
During a recent conversation with YouTuber Raj Shamani, Nawazuddin opened up about his early struggles in the film industry. Recalling his early film roles, he said, “In the beginning, I was getting roles where I was always getting beaten. In Sarfarosh, my first film, I was being beaten. Then in Munna Bhai MBBS, the same thing happened. Sometimes I played a thief, sometimes a pickpocket. And when people from my village watched these films, they would come from the cities and say to my father, ‘Your son is always getting beaten in films.’ Every year, it was the same thing, and my father was very tense about it. We are from Western UP, where everyone thinks highly of themselves.”
Father’s reaction and village ban
Reflecting on a difficult phase in his career, he shared a poignant memory about his father’s reaction to his film. He recalled, “One day, my father called me and asked, ‘What are you doing in these films?’ I asked him what he meant. He said, ‘Everyone says your son is getting beaten in these movies. Why do you take on these roles?’ I replied, ‘I don’t get anything else; I’m trying.’ Then he said, ‘Then stop coming here after getting beaten up.’ I was very upset hearing that and didn’t return to my village for three years.”
Turning point: ‘Gangs of Wasseypur ’
He fondly recalled the turning point in his career with Anurag Kashyap’s ‘Gangs of Wasseypur’, the film that made him a recognized face in the industry. He played a fierce gangster who dominated those around him. Once the movie was out, he contacted his father and went back to his village. “I went back and asked him, ‘So, what do you think?’ He said, ‘Yes, this time you did a good job.’”
Mother’s pride in Nawazuddin Siddiqui’s success
During the same conversation, Nawazuddin spoke about his mother’s unwavering pride in seeing him on screen. He shared a memorable moment after she watched him in Salman Khan’s ‘Kick’. He shared, “There was a scene in Kick where I was sitting on piles of money, dressed well. After she watched the film, I asked her how she liked it. She said it was a good film and she enjoyed my role. Then I asked her what she liked the most. She said, ‘The best part was when you were sitting on thousands and thousands of notes, that scene really pleased me.’ I asked her why, and she said, ‘Because you were sitting on so much money.’”
Recent work
On the work front, Nawazuddin Siddiqui was last seen in the 2025 film ‘Thamma’, where he played the role of Yakshasan. The movie, directed by Aditya Sarpotdar, also starred Ayushmann Khurrana, Rashmika Mandanna, and Paresh Rawal, and revolves around a supernatural love story.
