“Kaafi jaddo-jahad ki, par kaam nahin mila”: Nawazuddin Siddiqui says he struggled even for TV roles in his early days

Since then, he has made a name for himself in Indian cinema with his intense and honest performances.

The journey to success in Bollywood isn’t always easy — and Nawazuddin Siddiqui knows that better than most. Despite not having the typical looks of a mainstream hero, the actor has built a strong career based on talent and a deep love for acting.

In a recent chat with ANI, Nawazuddin spoke about how tough things were for him in the beginning and recalled how even television didn’t offer him work in his early days, despite all his efforts.

“Isliye toh shuruaat mein TV serials mein bhi humne kaafi jaddo-jahad ki. Par TV par bhi kaam nahin mila,” he said. (That’s why I struggled a lot even in TV serials in the beginning. But I didn’t get work on TV either.)

Nawazuddin, who started off with small roles in films like Sarfarosh and Shool, rose to fame after playing the lead in ‘Gangs of Wasseypur Part 2’. Since then, he has made a name for himself in Indian cinema with his intense and honest performances.

But Nawaz said he never came to Bollywood to chase fame or big roles and was therefore never disappointed about doing minor roles in films. Even if he hadn’t gotten a break in movies, he would have followed his passion for acting in theatre.

Talaash had Aamir Khan, Rajkummar Rao and Nawazuddin Siddiqui in a single frame 🔥 pic.twitter.com/atSCDSTTCo

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When asked if he ever felt like quitting during the early days, the actor shared, “I didn’t come here to do big roles. I was content with whatever came my way. It’s those who come to be stars and do big roles who feel disappointed. I never had that in mind. I just wanted to act. My job was to act — whether it was on a big stage or on sand.

“Agar acting nahin milta toh main apna group kholta, jo local train hai Bombay mein, wahan pe theatre karta. Mera kaam tha acting karna, woh main kahin bhi kar leta,” he added. (If I didn’t get a chance to act, I would have started my own group and done theatre in Mumbai’s local trains. Acting was my job — I could have done it anywhere.)

Nawaz also spoke about his upcoming project Costao, a biographical drama based on the life of Goa-based customs officer Costao Fernandes.

When asked how difficult it was to play a real-life character, Nawaz said, “It’s a big challenge… Doing a biopic as an actor in our industry is a very risky thing.”

Costao is directed by debutant Sejal Shah and stars Priya Bapat, Kishore Kumar G, Gagan Dev Riar, and Hussain Dalal. The film will release on May 1 on ZEE5. (ANI)

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