Nawazuddin Siddiqui Expresses Opinions on Bollywood Heroes and International Films
Nawazuddin “Nawaz” Siddiqui has built up a solid fan base in both India and internationally. Despite not playing any of the typical hero roles that might be expected from a Bollywood star, he has made a long and successful career for himself. His career has built up gradually, from his first film appearance in “Sarfarosh” in 1999 to his breakout roles in “Kahaani” and “Gangs of Wasseypur” and national, award-winning performance in “The Lunchbox.”
Nawaz recently acted in films like “Thackeray” and “Photograph,” a realistic love story played with Sanya Malhotra, which has received impressive reviews. Audiences now await the second season of “Sacred Games” to see Nawaz back on the TV screens.
Outside of his love for film and TV and always keeping busy, Nawaz became the brand ambassador for PokerStars, appearing in several promotional videos for the company, though it is not his first foray into advertisements for major brands.
Such a prolific actor, he often voices his opinion on subjects to do with filmmaking. Most recently, he has expressed a love of international films and a disdain for the “typical Bollywood hero.”
Connects with English Films
Speaking on IMDb's “Insider's Watchlist,” Nawaz said he loves to watch international films, and even though he can't always follow the language, he feels he understands English films better than the general audience who speak the language.
Nawaz says he gets envious sometimes when he sees actors playing exciting roles in international films. He mentions Tony Leung in the Hong Kong romance drama “In the Mood for Love,” and thinks that Leung does a perfect job of “using his mind to bring the character to you.”
He also loves the 1948 Italian drama “Bicycle Thieves” for the natural acting. The actors “don't need to show that they're acting,” said Nawaz.
Other international films that have influenced the Bollywood actor include “Scarface,” “The Secret in Their Eyes” and “A Separation,” among others while “Narcos” and “Black Mirror” are his favorite web series' so far.
INSERT IMAGE HERE >>>>> https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/thumb/0/09/Scarface_1932_Lobby_Card.jpg/1280px-Scarface_1932_Lobby_Card.jpg >>>>> Photo by Astor Pictures Corp. / CC0 1.0
Caption: “Scarface, ‘The Secret in Their Eyes” and “A Separation” have all influenced Nawaz.
Love for Bollywood
Of course, Nawaz still has a love for Bollywood and Hindi cinema. He enjoys the potboilers for pure fun and enjoyment, including Salman Khan's films, which he finds highly entertaining.
When he was younger and admittedly angrier, Nawaz enjoyed Amitabh Bachchan's, who currently is amidst controversy, action and adrenaline-packed films.
When it comes to a deeper kind of movie, the 1980 arty drama film “Sparsh” was hugely influential to him while “Mammo,” which touches on many of the political issues relevant to both India and Pakistan. The award-winning movie by Shyam Benegal, released in 1994, is Nawaz's favorite film of all time.
Still, when it comes to acting in Bollywood, Nawaz has a dislike of the hero role. He thinks that Bollywood films have too much of a focus on the far away hero and not enough focus on reality.
Disdain for the Hero
Nawaz has been quite outspoken when it comes to Bollywood. He is not afraid to put forward his criticisms, and one of his main problems is that Bollywood doesn't convey enough reality.
In a talk with MyNation, Nawaz points out that international films are often an attempt to convey a certain aspect of society or the reality of a specific way of life. In Bollywood, he says, the audience “rarely gets to witness Indian culture and traditions.”
Instead, the focus is often on a flamboyant hero who sings and dances in the streets. Such is often to the audience's taste, but Nawaz gets frustrated because no one behaves that way, and if they do, they are not often known to be a hero. Real heroes exist in everyday life and can be anyone.
Nawaz said in the interview that he never wants to play a “typical Bollywood hero,” and indeed, his career so far reflects this, with many of his roles portraying a realistic or at least believable character. He prefers to draw inspiration from observing real people. Such a style is evident in his latest film “Photograph,” an uncommon yet realistic love story without all the singing and dancing.
