“I never wanted to become a star; I didn’t come to Mumbai for that. I just wanted to earn a decent amount doing what I loved most – acting. And I knew Mumbai was just the place for that. I thought I’d do a movie or two, aur theatre toh hai hi. Things turned out differently… But even now, it doesn’t matter what kind of a role I’m playing – whether it’s small or big. I’m just happy to be living my dream!”

Words will always fall short when describing the mastery and enigma that Nawazuddin Siddiqui beholds. Hailing from the heartland of Indian cinema, Nawaz has carved an indelible niche for himself with his unparalleled acting prowess. From the gritty narratives of 'Gangs of Wasseypur' to the soulful portrayal of Saadat Hasan Manto, Nawazuddin has effortlessly breathed life into characters, leaving an indelible mark on the audience's mind.

In this interview, we delve into the depths of Nawazuddin's extraordinary journey, from the humble streets of Budhana to the glitzy world of Bollywood. He shared the secrets behind his method, the challenges he overcame, and the passion that fuels his craft. He also talked about fatherhood, and what being an actor means to him among other things.

Join us as we unravel the many layers that make Nawazuddin Siddiqui and get pretty close to figuring out ‘How The Hell Did He Do It?’

We talked about:
. The year that was
. What Nawaz is looking forward to in 2024
. Childhood
. Theatre and acting – decision to take up acting
. NSD days
. Struggling period & finally making it
. Turning points
. Experience working on Gangs of Wasseypur, the Lunchbox & Sacred Games
. Mindset
. Fatherhood
. Things no one knows about Nawaz
. Advice to the youth

#nawazuddinsiddiqui #humansofbombay #podcast

Time Stamps
00:00 Precap
00:43 Welcoming Nawazuddin Siddiqui
00:53 How was 2023 for Nawaz?
01:19 What does he wish for 2024?
02:14 Let’s rewind to Nawaz’s childhood
02:56 Nawaz, the science student
03:23 How did Nawaz think of theatre or acting?
04:09 What led him to decide that he wanted to act?
05:04 Family’s reaction to his unconventional career choice
06:38 Advice to people struggling with life’s purpose
08:25 Reminiscing his NSD days
09:28 Nawaz’s struggling period in Mumbai
10:12 Did he ever give up?
10:53 Nawaz’s passion for acting
11:36 How did getting Sarfarosh feel?
12:19 Turning point in Nawaz’s life
12:44 Behind the scenes of Gangs of Wasseypur
14:03 Huma Qureshi’s memories from GoW
14:28 Nawaz’s memories with the GoW cast
16:12 How did life change after GoW?
17:02 What was working on Lunchbox like?
17:46 Thoughts on OTT
18:52 Bollywood in the 90s
19:18 Hopes for the future of Bollywood
20:22 Nawaz’s love for his work
21:57 Nawaz’s mindset as an actor
23:33 Does work consume Nawaz?
25:17 What’s Nawaz's life offcamera like?
26:09 What’s fatherhood for Nawaz like?
27:05 What’s next for Nawaz?
27:58 Is he religious or spiritual?
28:36 Nawaz’s favourite role?
29:27 When people don’t like his work
30:53 Nawaz’s views on perfection
31:47 Nawaz’s favourite costar
32:33 An actor or filmmaker who inspired Nawaz
33:11 That time when Nawaz felt like a nonactor…
34:10 Would Nawaz change anything about his journey?
34:46 Nawaz’s advice to people
35:54 Nawaz’s dream role
36:11 His advice to himself
36:26 Happiest moment in Nawaz’s life
36:48 Thank you

Links:
Humans of Bombay
Instagram:   / officialhumansofbombay  
YT Shorts:    / @humansofbombayuncovered  
LinkedIn:   / humansofbombay  

Nawazuddin Siddiqui:
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/nawazuddin....
Twitter:   / nawazuddin_s  
Facebook:   / nawazuddinsiddiqui  

Karishma Mehta
Instagram:   / karimehta05  
LinkedIn:   / karishmamehtab22151174  

About Humans of Bombay –
Humans of Bombay is a movement that started 9 years ago. We believe that every person has a story to tell and we want to help them tell these stories. In these years we’ve published stories across genres – stories of love, hope, faith and courage. And through our storytelling, we’ve built an engaged community of over 5M!

Our idea is simple – to strike a chord with our community and catalogue the beat of humanity, one story at a time.