logo
Nawazuddin Siddiqui says he achieved so much despite facing discrimination for his dark complexion: ‘Agar gora hota to kya ker deta'

Nawazuddin Siddiqui says he achieved so much despite facing discrimination for his dark complexion: ‘Agar gora hota to kya ker deta'

Indian Express6 days ago
Nawazuddin Siddiqui has always been blunt about his opinions on nepotism and prejudice against a certain section of actors in the industry, including himself. In a recent interview, the actor opened up about the society's judgement about his looks and complexion, and filmmakers' aversiveness towards making a high budget film with him. He also spoke about his 2016 movie Raman Raghav 2.0 not getting enough screens at the theatres.
During a candid conversation with Nayandeep Rakshith, Nawazuddin admitted that he doesn't have a fear of losing commercially and critically. 'I don't have any fear. But yes, there are many actors who have been rejected, but keep coming back because of their film background and support system. Hum jaise log, main, Manoj Bajpayee or more actors like us, unko nahi hota yeh…box office, etc. What will you say to Manoj Bajpayee? Vo box office se upar uth chuka hai. He is not chasing it,' he said.
The actor cited examples of a few actors and revealed that no one in the fraternity is ready to make a big budget film with them. 'For example, Naseer sahab (Naseeruddin Shah), Om Puri, Manoj bhai, Irrfan, or other actors like us, humein lekar Rs 25 crore se upar kabhi kisi ne film banaayi hi nahi (Nobody ever made a film with budget over Rs 25 crore with actors like me, Naseer sir, Om Puri, Manoj and Irrfan). Secondly, people want to watch our films but the screens don't reach there. If you want to see our box office numbers, then atleast give us that distribution of screens as well. Only then you'll get to know how many people want to watch us. Today, we talk highly of Irrfan. Ofcourse, he was a great actor. But, no one cast him in a film with a Rs 20-25 crore budget,' he stated.
ALSO READ | Nawazuddin Siddiqui's daughter Shora impresses netizens with acting talents, called the 'next Radhika Apte'. Watch
Classifying actors into two categories, he said, 'This is the reason why it's said that there are two kinds of actors, ek public ka aur ek industry ka. Even if people don't want to watch the industry's actor, their films are released right in front of your house. But, the actor whose film public actually wants to see, their film is released in 200-300 screens, ek subah ka show aur ek raat ka. I get bothered.'
Nawazuddin Siddiqui felt disappointed after his film, Anurag Kashyap's directorial Raman Raghav 2.0, didn't get enough screens. 'We didn't get enough screens for Raman Raghav. The film released and there were very less screens at theatres. Jab release hui toh gaaliyan bhi padi humein ki kaisi filmein banaate hain. Jab vahi film baad mein dekhi gayi, tab logon ne bola kya film hai (When the film released, people abused us and said what sort of film is this. The same film was appreciated when it come out on OTT). This happens with many people,' he shared.
When asked about facing judgements of the industry for his looks, the 51-year-old replied, 'Vo toh aaj tak jhelne padte hain. Thankfully, the industry doesn't think like that, but it still exists in the society. In my initial days, many people said, 'Aap actor dikhte nahi ho' (you don't look like an actor). That used to make me feel bad. Kya karein ab? Kaala hu toh yahan tak pahuch gaya, agar gora hota toh kya kardeta main (I am dark, still reached till here, imagine what all I could have done if I was fair).'
On the professional front, Nawazuddin Siddiqui was last seen in the Zee5 film Costao, directed by Sejal Shah.
Orange background

Try Our AI Features

Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:

Comments

No comments yet...

Related Articles

After 70 crore alimony, Karisma Kapoor demands share in ex-husband Sunjay Kapur's massive Rs 30,000 crore estate
After 70 crore alimony, Karisma Kapoor demands share in ex-husband Sunjay Kapur's massive Rs 30,000 crore estate

India.com

time16 minutes ago

  • India.com

After 70 crore alimony, Karisma Kapoor demands share in ex-husband Sunjay Kapur's massive Rs 30,000 crore estate

Renowned industrialist Sunjay Kapur passed away at the age of 53 on June 12, 2025, in England. Reports claim that Sunjay died of a heart attack caused when he accidentally swallowed a bee. Kapur's mortal remains were brought back to Delhi, where he was laid to rest on June 19. Now, more than a month later, a dispute over Sunjay Kapur's enormous property has begun. Recently, his mother, Rani Kapur, claimed that her accounts were frozen, making survival difficult. Meanwhile, Sunjay's ex-wife and former actress Karisma Kapoor is reportedly seeking a share in his Rs 30,000 crore estate. Karisma Kapoor Seeking Shares in Sunjay Kapur's Rs 30,000 Crore Property According to a report by Dainik Jagran, Karisma has requested her share from the company. However, no official confirmation has been released, nor has Karisma reacted to these alleged reports. Sunjay Kapur's Mother Alleges Her Accounts Were Frozen Recently, a letter from Sunjay Kapur's mother has been circulating on the internet. According to reports, Rani Kapur has allegedly described her son Sunjay Kapur's death as 'unexplained and suspicious.' She also claimed that just days after her son's death, she was forced to sign multiple papers while she was still mourning. In a letter written to the board, Rani Kapur allegedly stated, 'Please take note that during the aforesaid period of grieving, I was approached multiple times and compelled to sign various documents without explanation or even having time to read and understand the same. Despite being under immense mental and emotional distress, I was coerced into signing such documents behind locked doors, and though I've requested repeatedly, the contents of such documents have never been revealed to me.' In her letter to CNBCTV18, Rani stated that she has been denied access to her accounts, making survival increasingly difficult. She further clarified that she has not authorized anyone to officially act as her representative on the company's board.

Is Aamir Khan in trouble? 25 IPS officers reach his home due to...
Is Aamir Khan in trouble? 25 IPS officers reach his home due to...

India.com

time16 minutes ago

  • India.com

Is Aamir Khan in trouble? 25 IPS officers reach his home due to...

A video has surfaced showing police vehicles exiting Aamir Khan's Bandra residence. According to reports, a team of 25 IPS officers visited the actor's house recently. While the reason behind their arrival remains unclear, the internet hasn't stopped buzzing. Fans spotted the clip online, and theories started flying, from a surprise collaboration to legal trouble; everyone had a guess. Did Aamir's team know? According to reports, Aamir's team responded with a surprising admission, 'We are still trying to know from Aamir.' Even those closest to him seem to have been caught off guard. Was it related to his film? Aamir Khan is currently riding high on the success of Sitare Zameen Par, which has made around Rs 165 crore in India. The film, starring Genelia D'Souza alongside Aamir, is still running strong. Some fans speculated whether the police presence had something to do with promotions, a shoot, or even security arrangements—but nothing has been confirmed. What about his personal life? In recent months, Aamir has been making headlines for reasons beyond the big screen. He has often been spotted with his rumoured partner Gauri Spratt, adding to the public intrigue around his personal life. So, what was the police visit about? For now, it remains a mystery. No official statement has been released, and even Aamir's close circle seems to be in the dark. Until then, the video continues to gather views, and the whispers aren't stopping anytime soon. Professionally, he's got big things lined up. In August, Aamir will travel to Australia to attend the Indian Film Festival of Melbourne, where he's the chief guest and will be honoured for his contribution to cinema. 'I'm thrilled and grateful to be a part of the film festival… I'm excited to share my journey with Melbourne,' Aamir said in a statement. He's also set to portray Dadasaheb Phalke, the father of Indian cinema, in Rajkumar Hirani's upcoming biopic.

Box Office: Mahavatar Narsimha sees a 400 percent jump from Friday to Sunday in Hindi; Collects Rs 11.25 crore in opening weekend
Box Office: Mahavatar Narsimha sees a 400 percent jump from Friday to Sunday in Hindi; Collects Rs 11.25 crore in opening weekend

Pink Villa

time16 minutes ago

  • Pink Villa

Box Office: Mahavatar Narsimha sees a 400 percent jump from Friday to Sunday in Hindi; Collects Rs 11.25 crore in opening weekend

The Hombale Films produced Mahavatar Narsimha is roaring at the box office in Hindi, and has proved to be another surprise package of 2025. The animated film, rooted in Indian Mythology, opened at Rs 1.35 crore on Friday, followed by a 150 percent jump to Rs 3.25 crore on Saturday, and another 110 percent spike on Sunday to collect Rs 6.50 crore to 7.00 crore. The 3-day total of Mahavatar Narsimha stands at Rs 11.35 crore in Hindi, and the film is now headed to record a long theatrical run in North India. Mahavatar Narsimha first animated success in Hindi since Hanuman The jumps have come all across the board, which resulted in an increased showcasing too on public demand. The film released in Hindi on 800 shows on Friday, followed by 1100 shows on Saturday and peaked with 2000 shows on Sunday. Mahavatar Narsimha is the first animated film since Hanuman (2005) to hit the bullseye at the box office in Hindi, and to think of it, it also might be the first ever animated super hit, as Hanuman was more of a Semi-Hit grosser. The genre has a big reach among the kids, who often step out to consume international content in animation, but the mytho-connect has brought in families in the metros and mass belts alike. The Hombale Films produced saga has seen a 400 percent spike from Friday to Sunday, which is a rare phenomenon in the theatrical world in modern times. This is another winner for Hombale Films in Hindi after KGF, KGF 2, Salaar and Kantara, and the producers will be aiming to scale up further this year with Kantara: Chapter 1. The audiences are now back in cinema halls, as they are buying tickets for films on a week-on-week basis, and the theatrical sector is blooming again like the pre-pandemic world. The Monday of Mahavatar Narsimha will be higher than Friday, and one needs to wait to see how big the biz is on the fourth day. The film is a HIT in 3-days flat, and is poised to just go higher towards the SUPER-HIT or who knows, even the BLOCKBUSTER tag in the coming weeks, as the weekend trend is that of an EPIC-BLOCKBUSTER Friday: Rs 1.35 crore Saturday: Rs 3.25 crore Sunday: Rs 6.75 crore (Estimates) Total: Rs 11.25 crore

DOWNLOAD THE APP

Get Started Now: Download the App

Ready to dive into a world of global content with local flavor? Download Daily8 app today from your preferred app store and start exploring.
app-storeplay-store