‘No religious discrimination in Bollywood’

Nawazuddin Siddiqui says society can learn something from Indian showbiz

Nawazuddin Siddiqui has been a powerhouse in the Bollywood film industry for 25 years, winning over audiences with his diverse acting and roles. As per reports from The Indian Express, in a recent interview, the 50-year-old actor basked in the nation’s love and dismissed any notion of facing religious discrimination.

When Nawazuddin admitted to having “zero interest” in politics and cricket during the podcast, he was promptly asked about his 2019 film Thackeray. Playing the character of Shiv Sena supremo Bal Thackeray, Nawaz casually said, “I’m happy to play political characters.”

The conversation turned to whether the Muslim community gave him backlash for the film. Nawaz, cool as ever, responded, “There was some, but not a lot.” The host pressed on, asking if Bollywood discriminates based on religion. Like a seasoned pro, Nawazuddin replied, “There’s no question about that, no.”

The Haddi actor mentioned that Bollywood could teach society a thing or two about unity. When asked about differing opinions among veteran actors from various communities, Nawaz pointed out the mutual respect between Anupam Kher and Naseeruddin Shah. When asked if being Muslim had caused him any setbacks in showbiz, Nawazuddin replied with, “I receive a lot of love.”

Switching to Hindi, Nawazuddin continued, “I’ve traveled to the interiors of our country; I don’t know what they show in the news, but the people of our country are beautiful, they’re innocent.” The actor is currently gearing up for his film Rautu Ka Raaz, releasing worldwide on June 28 on Zee 5.

According to other reports by The Indian Express, after facing up and downs in his marriage with wife Aaliyah, Nawazuddin has some candid thoughts on the topic. In a recent interview, when asked if one should get married, the actor hesitated before dropping the bombshell: “They shouldn’t.”

Nawazuddin elaborated, “What is the need to get married? If you are in love, it can prosper even without marriage. After marriage, people start taking each other for granted. Kids come in the picture; a lot of things happen. If you love someone and want to continue loving them, then don’t get married,” he advised. “We think our love, wife will give us happiness but after a while, it is only your work that gives you joy,” he concluded.