Bollywood’s versatile actor Nawazuddin Siddiqui has recently put an end to comparisons with late actor Irrfan Khan and notions of him ‘taking up space’. During a special event, Nawazuddin clarified that his acting journey is not to repeat someone’s legacy, but to explore himself and overcome his shortcomings.
“My journey is about personal growth”
Nawazuddin spoke candidly about his career and creative process at ‘NDTV Creators Manch Season 2’ held over the weekend. When asked if he has replaced Irrfan Khan in the film industry after his demise, he replied with great humility and clarity: “I have come to fill my own niche. I don’t want to replace any other actor. I have many weaknesses and I want to overcome those shortcomings through acting. This is my personal journey. You should focus on what God has given you. You don’t need to look at others.”
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The actor further said that his main goal is to discover himself through the characters he plays on screen. According to Nawazuddin, artistes should focus on understanding their own strengths and weaknesses instead of constantly comparing themselves to others.
He said, “I know I have many weaknesses, and I want to deal with them through characters. That’s my focus. God has given you a lot; you should focus on that. You don’t need to look at other actors. You have a lot inside you; you just need to find it.”
Nawazuddin Siddiqui and Irrfan work together
Nawazuddin and Irrfan have worked together in many famous projects in the last few years. One of his most memorable projects was ‘The Lunchbox’, directed by Ritesh Batra and also starring Nimrat Kaur. The 2013 film received international acclaim and won the Critics’ Week Viewers’ Choice Award at the Cannes Film Festival, as well as a nomination at the BAFTA Awards in 2014.Both the actors also worked together in films like ‘Paan Singh Tomar’ and ‘The Bypass’. In earlier interviews, Nawazuddin had described Irrfan as a mentor in the early stages of his career.Irrfan died in 2020 at the age of 53 after battling neuroendocrine cancer.
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Nawazuddin Siddiqui’s upcoming projects
On the work front, Nawazuddin was last seen in Netflix’s crime thriller ‘Raat Akeli Hai: The Bansal Murders’. The actor currently has several projects in the pipeline, including courtroom drama ‘Section 108’ and heist thriller ‘The Great Escape Faraar’. He has also joined the cast of the much-awaited sequel ‘Tumbbad 2’.