Actor Nawazuddin Siddiqui who is known for his powerful performances in films like Gangs Of Wasseypur and Sacred Games, recently opened up about the industry’s long-standing bias against actors who don’t fit the stereotypical image of a “hero.” In an interview with Mid-Day, Nawazuddin reflected on how truly talented actors often don’t get opportunities. He discussed how names like the late Irrfan Khan, Manoj Bajpayee, Naseeruddin Shah and Om Puri are rarely trusted with large-scale projects.
He further criticized the Indian entertainment industry’s obsession with categorizing performers as “actors,” “heroes,” “stars,” and “superstars,” emphasizing how internationally, actors are judged purely on talent, not appearance. “Globally, there’s no discrimination — they cast a good actor, that’s all. Here, we sideline exceptional talent to smaller roles and still call them ‘supporting actors’ when they are anything but,” he added.
Nawazuddin Siddiqui was last seen in the supernatural-horror film Adbhut starring Diana Penty which premiered on OTT. The actor will next be seen in Costao, a film inspired by the real-life story of Costao Fernandes, an honest customs officer who stood up against smuggling and corruption in 1990s Goa. The film, directed by Sejal Shah and co-starring Priya Bapat, Kishore Kumar G, Gagan Dev Riar, and Hussain Dalal. The film is set to premiere on ZEE5 on May 1.
