Female gaze is kinder, sensitive: Nawazuddin gives insight into 'Haddi' character
The actor describes the internal process of embodying a female character in a recent interview
Entertainment Desk |
August 29, 2022
Director Akshat Ajay Sharma's upcoming film Haddi showcases seasoned actor Nawazuddin Siddiqui in a way fans have never seen before as he plays two separate roles — a woman and a transgender person. Siddiqui, renowned for his versatility as an actor, offered an inside glimpse into the making of the upcoming film in an interview, as quoted by The Times of India.
"It's just been a couple of days. We have started the shoot of Haddi in Noida. It's a revenge drama. I will be portraying two separate parts, a double role, in the film — I play a woman and a transgender person. Akshat had this script and wanted to make the film for almost four years. Akshat has worked as a second unit director in AK VS AK and Sacred Games, and I have known him since he worked with Anurag Kashyap. We are finally doing the film," the Manto actor said.
However, Siddiqui soon realised that playing a female character was no easy feat, with understanding a woman's perspective a necessary step in doing justice to the character. "If I play a female character, I need to think like a woman, and that's my test as an actor. Outfit, hair, makeup, all of that is alright, and that's not my concern. There are experts to look into it, and they know their job. My concern is to get the internal thought process right. What do women think? What do they want? An actor's job is to get into the head of the character he plays. Your outlook toward life as a woman is bound to be different, which is the most difficult part about Haddi for me. I will have to view the world as a woman would. The film is not about costumes and gestures. The process is more internal," he said, describing his journey of embodying the complex character.
"I have worked with many renowned female directors, which greatly helped me. I realised that women look at the world differently. They are far more compassionate, and they see beauty in everything. For most men, it's often about power and control. That is also reflected in our relationships. Men tend to be more territorial and exert their authority, even on women. The female gaze is kinder and sensitive. I am trying to get that point of view right," he added.
"I must say this, after this experience, I have a lot of respect for actresses who do this daily. There are so many things, hair, makeup, clothes, nails. They take the whole world with them. Now I know why an actress may take longer than her male counterpart to get out of her vanity van. It's absolutely justified. I will have more patience now!" he lightly explained.
Siddiqui also spoke about his daughter's reaction to the first look of his character. "My daughter was very upset when she saw me dressed as a woman. She now knows it's for a role and is fine," he revealed.
A first look into the film, a motion poster posted on Instagram, showed the Heropanti 2 actor transformed in drag for his character. The poster, set in what appears to be an abandoned warehouse, shows the actor flourishing in a beautiful metallic silver gown, bold jewellery, and a blood-stained weapon – the perfect setting for any revenge drama.
Siddique's first look stunned fans, with many saying the actor looks unrecognisable after the drastic transformation. In a hilarious turn of events, many even pointed out the likeness between the actor's transformation and The Kapil Sharma Show's Archana Puran Singhactor. Singhactor took the comparisons in stride and called it "a huge compliment to be compared to Nawaz in any way possible," as reported by Hindustan Times.
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