The Bollywood hero is the most clichéd creation: Nawazuddin Siddiqui

According to Siddiqui, anybody can play the hero but the challenging part is to play same role differently each time

Indian film industry's unconventional main man Nawazuddin Siddiqui feels the Bollywood hero is the most clichéd creation one can think of, adding that he likes to keep a distance from that image.

“I have played a variety of roles, be it gangster, a writer or a policeman. Even if I get an opportunity to play the lead hero in a movie, I will do it only on the basis of my style,” the actor shared in an interview.

“'The Bollywood hero is one of the most clichéd roles you will ever find. People have this conception of how they see him, the kind of clothes he wears etc. This is a zone I ideally don’t want to be a part of because then you go into an absolute comfort zone,” he added.

PHOTO: STARDUST

According to Siddiqui, anybody can play the hero but the challenging part is to play the same role differently each time.

“For this, you need an education and practice. According to me, a versatile actor is one who is able to play the same role differently. For example, I have played the mafia don several times, whether it is Faisal Khan or Ganesh Gaitonde. But each role is different, as there is always that one signature dialogue or move that sets one character apart from another. I did the same even with Dilly Mahmood (in McMafia) too,” he mentioned.

Starting off with brief roles in films such as Sarfarosh and Shool, Siddiqui made a name for himself after working in projects such as Gangs of Wasseypur, The Lunchbox, Liar’s Dice, Badlapur, Manjhi – The Mountain Man, Kick, Bajrangi Bhaijaan, Lion, Mom and Sacred Games. 

PHOTO: NAWAZUDDIN SIDDIQUI/TWITTER

The actor reveled he is happy he was a part of the TV crime drama McMafia, which is about Alex Godman (essayed by James Norton), an educated hedge-fund manager who unwillingly gets sucked into the lawless world of his Russian mafia family. The actor features as Mumbai-based gangster Dilly Mahmood in the show.

The series is inspired by the 2009 non-fiction book of the same name by Misha Glenny and explores the world of organised crime. Talking about his experience of working with director James Watkins, Siddiqui said, “James Watkins has been following me since Gangs of Wasseypur and it is my performance in this movie, along with Miss Lovely and The Lunchbox, that eventually helped me bag my role in McMafia."

PHOTO: INDIAN EXPRESS

The actor continued, “Watkins is an experienced and passionate director and has also directed a few episodes of Black Mirror. He is somebody who keeps a keen eye for detail and beautifully brings out the smallest element in each shot. On the show, the overall experience was great, not just working with the director but all the other actors who were apart of the show."

In fact, the Sacred Games actor stumbled upon Norton’s India connect while working on the show.

“While shooting, he once told me that he had come to India almost 15-20 years ago as a backpacker and during his stay, he ran out of money. In order to make some money, James appeared in the crowd scene of a Bollywood film,” he concluded.