‘INDIAN AUDIENCES ARE YET TO EVOLVE’

Actor Nawazuddin Siddiqui says that a dance number or some comedy would have made Manto work in India

If you take a look at Nawazuddin Siddiqui’s career graph, most of his film choices will seem unconventional. His films such as Raman Raghav 2.0 (2016) or more recently, Manto, have fared well at film festivals across the globe, but didn’t work in India. While he doesn’t regret his choices, he says that the audience in India isn’t as evolved as audiences in other parts of the world.

FAILURE OF MANTO

The actor won a couple of awards for his realistic portrayal of the writer in the West but the film didn’t work here. “If we had put two-three dance numbers or a little bit of comedy in the Indian version of Manto, maybe the film would have worked in India. Manto won many international awards and acclaim in festivals but it just didn’t work here. I don’t think Indian audiences are prepared for (serious) films. Even if the content is different, people want the usual song and dance,” says the actor. He, however, doesn’t think too much about it. “I will continue to do these kind of films. Slowly, I am hoping, people will get used to different kinds of films. Anyway, I don’t care too much about box office. If it works, great, but if it doesn’t, I don’t lose heart. Maybe people didn’t like it and that’s fine,” he says.

WORKING IN BIOPICS

Manjhi – The Mountain Man (2015), Manto and Thackeray are biopics that saw Nawaz playing the protagonist. The actor says that it’s a tricky genre because people draw comparisons. “I have got some good reactions so far for all my biopics, so I am happy. Playing Balasaheb Thackeray was the toughest role of my life so far and I was obviously scared. There is so much material available on him that people would have easily found faults. I was pleasantly surprised. But the problem with biopics in Bollywood is that we put too many songs. It ends up becoming a commercial potboiler,” he says. Nawaz is taking a break from biopics for a while. “I haven’t signed another biopic yet. When you do a biopic, you do it properly. There will definitely be challenges and that is something every actor likes,” the Gangs of Wasseypur

(2012) actor says.

TAMIL DEBUT

Nawaz recently made his debut in Tamil films with Rajinikanth-starrer Petta. He hired a tutor to learn the language. “Working with Rajini sir was a wonderful experience. He is the biggest superstar but has zero airs and is so approachable. The great thing about working in the South industry is that actors, technicians, directors, everyone is given equal respect. That is what I was most impressed with,” he says.

The problem with biopics in Bollywood is that we put too many songs. It ends up becoming a commercial potboiler.

NAWAZUDDIN SIDDIQUI ACTOR