Nawazuddin Siddiqui: If I take love of the audience for granted, I am finished

The actor acknowledged that his roles in commercial films such as Kick and Heropanti 2 may irritate some of his fans.

Nawazuddin Siddiqui believes that the best way to avoid becoming "jaded" in the film industry is to reinvent oneself as a performer. The actor has won critical acclaim in nearly every film he has appeared in during his two-decade career, from his early breakout appearances in Black Friday and Kahaani to films like Gangs of Wasseypur, Badlapur and Photograph.

When a role comes his way, the actor says he never takes his audience for granted, so he always tries to find "something extra." Siddiqui told PTI that if one is not making their character tough enough, it's on them. They are still curious if they are doing it, and it's a never-ending process. The actor revealed that his collapse would begin the day he abandons the method, believing that the audience would love him nonetheless because he's a brilliant actor. One can get jaded if they become too familiar with the praise that comes their way. If he takes the audience's adoration for granted, he is done.

Siddiqui used a cricket analogy to explain that just because a cricketer hit a century in his previous match doesn't mean he gets to start his next one at 100. The cricketer, too, begins at zero; that's how it works in acting. The actor's process is the same for every film he makes, whether it's a big-screen masala entertainer or a so-called artistic film: Siddiqui always starts from scratch. He unlearns before starting any endeavour, and that's what keeps him alert and makes him more open to new experiences.

Heropanti 2 will soon hit the theatres, and the actor is looking forward to it. The actioner, starring Tiger Shroff, feels like a break from the Siddiqui brand of films, which are frequently made on a smaller budget but virtually always deliver a thought-provoking cinematic experience.

The actor acknowledged that his roles in commercial films such as Kick and Heropanti 2 may irritate some of his fans. Siddiqui said that when he does commercial films, a segment of his fan base criticises him and asks why he is doing those films.

But for every Heropanti 2 the actor has no land to return to. He did Manto, which was a lovely film, but it hurt him when it didn't work out. When an audience does not watch a credible, intelligent film prepared after a lot of research, the filmmaker feels like saying, "Forget it, now I'll make the other kind of movie."

However, Siddiqui is "aadat se majboor" which means he will continue to make films in his genre and achieve a balance.

Commercial films, according to Siddiqui, are a terrific opportunity to "disrupt the pattern" that an actor could fall into, and he credits them with always bringing up a new universe for him. The prominence that blockbuster films provide for his lesser endeavours also benefits, according to the actor.

Siddiqui revealed that he has never been a fan of commercial films. Because money is always rolling in, if these large films make money, his lesser films will be made. Commercial pictures draw a large audience, and even if ten percent of that audience shows up to see his smaller films, it will be a success.

Heropanti 2 directed by choreographer-filmmaker Ahmed Khan, will be released on April 29.

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