Rags To Riches-Nawazuddin Siddiqui

‘And those who were seen dancing were thought to be insane by those who could not hear the music.'

The ‘Gangs of Wasseypur’ famed actor’s mottohas always been about “never give up on your dreams”. Of course,did not have a cakewalk journey into Bollywood and had his due share of struggle and prolonged days of poverty and anguish. However, he relentlessly pursued his ‘calling’ and never called it quits.

Born on 19 May 1974 at Budhana into a zamindar Muslim family, he was eldest of his eight siblings. After finishing his graduation from Haridwar, he worked as chemist, watchman among a few others. He later went to be a certified alumni of National School of Drama.

However, his pursuit for a break in Bollywood seemed impossible to most owing to his financial crisis and his unconventional ‘Bollywood Hero’ looks. Studio to studio, set to set, he was unfazed by rejections and kept cold calling to all places.

As a side-actor in Sarfarosh and Munna Bhai MBBS and being the extra or the prop actor at the set of various other films, he carved his nicheby the movie Peepli Live through his convincing role as a journalist. The struggle did not end there, because it was only 2012 that Bollywood came to the realization of his influential presence on the Big Screen.

From standing infront of the mirror to imitate random film scenes as a kid, to his presence at the Cannes Festival, from kya hero banega (how will he become a hero)’ when he set out to ‘isne toh karke dikhaya (he has done it)’, he surely did make it possible."

A calm reticent being Nawaz is claimed to be a quiet soul who is found brooding if left alone. Unfazed by his stardom and fan following, he continues to dazzle us all in his stellar performances. Good luck Mr. Siddiqui, the flagbearer of a New Bollywood.