Hindustan Times (Lucknow) - Hindustan Times (Lucknow) - Live
‘DOING ENGLISH FILMS IS NOT A
Nawazuddin Siddiqui talks about his movie being nominated at the BIFF 2021, and his idea of success
Actor Nawazuddin Siddiqui’s first English feature film, No Man’s Land, is nominated for the prestigious Kim Jiseok award at the 26th Busan International Film Festival (BIFF). Talking about this “special” feat, Siddiqui says, “Much like the boom in Iranian films that happened a few years ago, Korean cinema is at the top of its game right now... I’m happy that my film is going to Busan.”
No Man’s Land will be competing with Aparna Sen’s directorial, The Rapist, among other nominees for the award. “I was approached for that movie too, but I couldn’t do it... I hope either one of us wins,” he shares.
Besides Siddiqui, No Man’s Land has talents from all across the world, and the Raat Akeli Hai (2020) actor looks at this as “a big learning”. He says, “In my web series McMafia, I worked with Israeli, British and American actors. In No Man’s Land, there’s an Australian actor opposite me, along with talents from China, Britain and America. It helps one understand their process of approaching a character.”
For Siddiqui, who has earned wide critical reception and awards in his career, “doing an English feature film isn’t the benchmark of success” unlike the popular notion. He says, “For some, buying a house is synonymous with success, for others, getting a break in the industry or achieving superstardom amounts to success.
For me, to be successful means to be able to project an emotion in the way I wanted to in a scene. That’s important to me.”
Perhaps every Indian Hollywood movie buff got excited when
(2016), starring Ryan Reynolds, opened to Mera Joota Hai Japani from Raj Kapoor’s
420 (1955).
a look at Hindi Maro Dum, here’s
Not just Dum in the past fell in love with tracks the West