Nawazuddin Siddiqui on actors facing discrimination due to looks: ‘Did anyone make ₹20-30 crore film with Irrfan Khan?’

Actor Nawazuddin Siddiqui has shared his opinion on whether he thinks it's the failure of the entertainment industry for not trusting actors "who don’t fit its stereotype of how a hero should look". Speaking with Mid-Day, Nawazuddin spoke about late Irrfan Khan, Manoj Bajpayee, Naseeruddin Shah and Om Puri, asking if anyone ever made a ₹20-30 crore film with them. (Also Read | Costao trailer: ‘Honest customs officer’ Nawazuddin Siddiqui is accused of murder, fights battle against corrupt system)

Nawazuddin Siddiqui talks about actors being differentiated

Nawazuddin said "no one ever made a big film with" these actors. “We are seeing what’s happening to the films that are coming nowadays with new actors. The problem is, whether it was Irrfan [Khan] bhai, or Manoj [Bajpayee], Naseeruddin [Shah] saab or Om Puri saab, has anyone ever made a film with them worth ₹20-30 crore? Today, you shower praise at them and call them great actors, but no one ever made a big film with them. It happens only here," he said.

Talking about the entertainment industry outside India, he said actors are cast based on their skills, not looks. "Internationally, they don’t differentiate between actors. They just cast a good actor. Here, we have categories like actor, hero, star, superstar. We have such great actors among us, you will spot them in movies or series in smaller roles. They aren’t supporting actors. They are great actors. Yet no one thought of making a film with them. And maybe no one ever will. We will be gone one day, but this will go on,” he added.

About Nawazuddin's projects

Nawazuddin is known for films such as Gangs of Wasseypur, Badlapur, Kick, Bajrangi Bhaijaan and the web series Sacred Games, among many others. He will be next seen in Costao. The story, based on Costao Fernandes’ life, is set in the 1990s in Goa and revolves around Nawazuddin's Costao, who took on gold smugglers and corruption despite personal setbacks. It is set to premiere on ZEE5 on May 1. Directed by debutant Sejal Shah, the movie also stars Priya Bapat, Kishore Kumar G, Gagan Dev Riar and Hussain Dalal.