- Tuesday, May 06, 2025
By: Vibhuti Pathak
Nawazuddin Siddiqui is one of India’s most respected actors, known for his powerful performances in both independent films and mainstream Bollywood blockbusters. With a career spanning over two decades, he’s become a symbol of raw, authentic storytelling in Indian cinema.
From critically acclaimed films like The Lunchbox and Gangs of Wasseypur to streaming hits and international projects, Siddiqui has built a reputation for choosing bold, complex roles that challenge both him and the audience.
Siddiqui has once again set fire to Bollywood’s false sense of originality in an industry obsessed with glamour, box office numbers, and tired storylines. In a scathing new interview, the award-winning actor didn’t just criticize the Hindi film industry — he exposed it.
According to Siddiqui, Bollywood is on creative life support, drowning in remakes, sequels, and formulaic storytelling. “It’s a creative bankruptcy,” he declared, pointing to how studios shamelessly recycle past successes instead of backing fresh talent or unique scripts. For an industry that once prided itself on emotional depth and cultural storytelling, Siddiqui says it’s now all about safe bets and soulless blockbusters.
But that wasn’t even his harshest blow.
Siddiqui openly accused Bollywood of increasingly ripping off South Indian films — not as inspiration, but as full-blown theft. “What used to happen in the shadows is now business as usual,” he said, slamming the industry for copying scenes and scripts frame by frame, often without giving credit. “It shows just how scared they are of taking risks.”
His comments didn’t stop there. Siddiqui also defended maverick filmmaker Anurag Kashyap, who recently moved out of Mumbai and declared a break from Bollywood’s toxic atmosphere. Kashyap, once the poster child for edgy, independent cinema, revealed he left the city because the industry’s hunger for $100 million mega-hits has choked the life out of real storytelling. According to Siddiqui, it’s not just bad for creativity—it’s a sign that Bollywood is rotting from within.
Despite the bleak outlook, Siddiqui remains one of the last few actors in the business still willing to swim against the current. His latest film, Costao, now streaming on ZEE5, is a hard-hitting crime drama set in 1990s Goa.
He plays Costao Fernandes, an honest customs officer fighting an underground smuggling ring and battling corruption from within his own ranks. The gritty role is classic Nawaz — sharp, grounded, and emotionally explosive.
The film, directed by first-timer Sejal Shah, has already earned praise for its gripping pace and layered characters. It stars Priya Bapat, Gagan Dev Riar, Kishore Kumar G, and Hussain Dalal alongside Siddiqui.
Up next? A loaded slate of intriguing projects: Section 108, Noorani Chehra, Sangeen, and Raat Akeli Hai 2. While others chase numbers and Instagram followers, Nawazuddin Siddiqui is doing what few dare to—calling out Bollywood’s hypocrisy and standing up for cinema that matters.
