Anurag Kashyap’s role in convincing Nawazuddin Siddiqui to star in ‘Sacred Games’ - Deets inside

From making his Bollywood debut with a small role in Aamir Khan-starrer ‘Sarfarosh’ to delivering impeccable performances in films like ‘Black Friday’, ‘Gangs of Wasseypur’, ‘Bajrangi Bhaijaan’ and ‘Manto’, Nawazuddin Siddiqui has cemented his place in millions of hearts.Journey to becoming a beloved actorSiddiqui began his Bollywood journey with a minor role in Aamir Khan’s ‘Sarfarosh’ and has since won hearts with outstanding performances in movies such as ‘Black Friday’, ‘Gangs of Wasseypur’, ‘Bajrangi Bhaijaan’, and ‘Manto’, establishing himself as a beloved actor.How ‘Sacred Games’ came to NawazuddinDuring a recent podcast with Rohan Dua for The New Indian, Nawazuddin revealed the story behind his involvement in ‘Sacred Games’.

He recalled, “Motwane approached me first. I told him, ‘I have struggled so much to finally get into films and now you want me to do a TV serial again? I don’t want to.’ But he said, ‘Nawaz, this is not a TV serial. It’s OTT. It will be watched all over the world.’ Honestly, I didn’t believe him. Motwane is a very to-the-point guy, and unless there is some drama, we actors don’t really get convinced.

So I ignored it for three or four months."

Anurag Kashyap’s persuasionHe also revealed that Vikramaditya Motwane asked his co-director Anurag Kashyap to persuade him. Nawaz recounted, “Eventually, Motwane told Anurag, ‘You convince him.’ Anurag, after a drink or two, sat me down and said, ‘Just do it, it’s a great character.’ I finally said, ‘Alright, let’s do it.’ They even told me this could surpass Gangs of Wasseypur. That’s when I said, ‘Okay, let’s do it.’"Strong collaborations with Anurag KashyapNawazuddin and Anurag have worked together on many important films like ‘Black Friday’, ‘Dev D’, ‘Gangs of Wasseypur’ and ‘Raman Raghav 2.0’.

When asked why he likes working with Anurag, Nawazuddin said it’s hard to explain. He said, “I don’t know, I have never felt the need to explain this bond. I try to, but I don’t find the words. A few days ago, we were together in New York for 10–12 days. We didn’t have any deep conversations, just casual talks here and there.

But the first time I met Anurag, I don’t know why, I felt he had a very positive approach towards me. And when I started working with him, I realised how intelligent he is, how much he reads."No conflicts between themWhen asked if there had ever been any conflicts between them, Nawazuddin was quick to deny it. “No, no, never. We can never fight. People tried to spread rumours, but both he and I know what we share. Nobody in the world can create misunderstandings between us," he said firmly. Reflecting on working with Anurag Kashyap, Nawazuddin expressed, “When he directs me, I feel like he protects me. There are some directors with whom you don’t really act, you only say your lines.

But with Anurag, I get that chance to really communicate through my performance. I get that space for expression."Recent work and upcoming projectsProfessionally, Nawazuddin Siddiqui’s most recent appearance was in the crime drama ‘Costao’, directed by Sejal Shah. His upcoming projects include ‘Raat Akeli Hai 2’ and ‘Thama’.

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