Updated on: 19 May, 2021 11:32 AM IST |
Nawazuddin Siddiqui: Ten Lesser Known Facts about the Gangs of Wasseypur actor
His performance in Anurag Kashyap’s ‘Raman Raghav 2.0’ was compared to the likes of Anthony Hopkins in ‘The Silence of the Lambs’ by The Hollywood Reporter.
He was awarded a Special Mention at the 60th National Film Awards in 2013 for his performances in ‘Kahaani’, ‘Gangs Of Wasseypur’, ‘Talaash’ and ‘Dekh Indian Circus’.
The popular line ‘Permission lena chahiye’ in ‘Gangs of Wasseypur’ was inspired by the actor’s real-life romance with a girl, he once liked.
During one of his initial appearances at the Cannes Film Festival, Nawaz had only one suit which he wore throughout for every event that he went to. Some thought he considered it to be his lucky charm.
His first lead role was in ‘Patang’. Directed by Prashant Bhargava, the film made renowned international critic Roger Ebert sit up and take notice.
His first role was of a terrorist in the Aamir Khan-starrer ‘Sarfarosh’. Some of his most notable supporting roles include ‘Shool’, ‘Munnabhai MBBS’, ‘Aaja Nachle’, ‘Ek Chalis Ki Last Local’, ‘Manorama Six Feet Under’, ‘Black Friday’ and ‘New York’. Apparently, his role in ‘New York’ as a Bangladeshi immigrant who is wronged as a terrorist by the FBI, made his co-star Irrfan Khan tear up.
He left his job as a chemist in Vadodra and came to Delhi for better prospects. To sustain himself, he worked as a watchman. One evening, while witnessing a play with friends, he took a liking towards acting and decided to enrol at the National School of Drama. In order to secure admission, he acted in over ten plays. He graduated in 1999 and moved to Mumbai.
A graduate holding the Bachelors’ Degree of Science in Chemistry, the actor’s initial jobs include being a chemist and a watchman
In an interview, Nawaz once said that he would stand in front of the mirror and recreate popular film scenes, during his childhood. A cinema hall was about 45 kilometres away from his village.
Born on May 19, 1974 in Budhana, a small town in Muzaffarnagar district, Uttar Pradesh to a family of zamindars, Nawaz is the eldest of eight siblings.
There is no room for debate that Nawazuddin Siddiqui is one of the finest actors that cinema lovers have enjoyed since the past decade. From humble beginnings in ‘Munnabhai MBBS’ to seeking his breakout roles in ‘Kahaani’ and ‘Gangs of Wasseypur’, to eventually carving his digital identity with ‘Sacred Games’, there is nothing that Nawaz can’t do. For ardent fans who would like to know him better, we bring you some lesser-known facts about the actor.
