In all modesty, Nawazuddin Siddiqui, considered one the finest contemporary actors. Feels inadequate when he watches an actor like Soumitra Chatterjee on screen.
“He could convey so much by saying and doing so little .When I see his performance I feel I’ve such a long way to go,” says Nawaz who has been watching a lot of regional and international cinema during the lockdown and feeling very humbled .
“There are such talented actors in Bengal, Tamil Nadu, Andhra Pradesh and Assam. In Mumbai they believe the sun rises and sets in Hindi cinema. That’s a myth being spread by commercial cinema which is killing talent in Hindi cinema. When you see an actor like Soumitra Chatterjee or Kamal Haasan you feel the full weight of their talent in every character. They are so into what they play we forget who they are. That’s the kind of oneness I want to achieve with my characters,” says Nawaz.
He feels he has a long way to go. “Over here in our film industry we tend to kill talent with over-praise. Jitni jaldi mathe pe bithate hain utni jaldi girate bhi hai(we put actors on pedestals quickly and pull them down just as quickly).”