‘Why do superstars promote their films?’
While entire star casts of big Bollywood movies these days tour the country promoting their films, actor Nawazuddin Siddiqui says that he doesn’t see why superstars need to do it.
Do film promotions translate into box-office numbers? “It helps in case of small-budget films. But I don’t understand why superstars need to promote their movies,” says Nawaz. “In any case, people get to know when a superstar’s film is about to release. I don’t think it’s required and I don’t understand how this insecurity arises [in them]. We need to promote small-budget films, so that there’s enough awareness about them.”
On the role of film festivals in helping smaller films, he says, “If you see France and Germany, they genuinely celebrate films. Waahan altu faltu filmein nahi dikhate. The films showcased there are some of the best. Their government supports [films] and their artistes are given respect. We can only hope that more good films are made here, so that people give actors that respect.”
As for his own films, the actor is stepping into a genree that he has not explored much — romance. He describes his next film as “a sweet love story”. Plus, his character is a photographer. These aspects were appealing enough for Nawaz to take the role.
The actor says, “Jo hamare yahaan banti hai, woh nahi pasand hai. Otherwise, there are quite a few romantic films that are nice — Robert De Niro’s Falling in Love (1984) and Before Sunrise (1995). I don’t like clichéd romantic comedies; I appreciate stories that touch your heart and bring a smile to your face.”
While a love story on screen makes him happy, Nawaz isn’t fond of few things that go hand in hand with his profession. For instance, photo shoots. “Jo unke mann main aata hai, pehna dete hai. I just listen to the team. Kya kare, karna padta hai. Just as I don’t enjoy promotions, I don’t like photo shoots,” he says.