"Paida toh main bhi shareef hua tha, par sharaafat se kabhi apni bani nahi," says noted actor Nawazuddin Siddiqui in a particularly dramatic scene from the recently-released film 'Kick'.
The film, which has earned over Rs 173 crores since its release last week, is a typical Salman Khan flick. Replete with action, drama and large unapologetic helpings of masala, 'Kick' features Siddiqui as the unlikely villain opposite Salman Khan's larger-than-life, do-gooder-cum-adrenaline-junkie hero.
"I always knew that the makers of 'Kick' were looking for something more than the run-of-the-mill villain. They could easily have hired one of those muscular, evil-looking guys for the role of Shiv Gajra. But since they came looking for an actor like me, I realised that the role was going to be a different one," said Siddiqui in an interview to CNN-IBN entertainment editor Rajeev Masand.
It was refreshing to see Siddiqui in a role that seems totally unlike him. Dressed in well-cut, double breast suits, he portrayed the role of a powerful politicians egotistical nephew, Shiv Gajra. As the chief bad guy in the film, Siddiqui was almost perfect with his understated look, creepy laugh and a 'catch noise'.
That is all well, but the question on everybody's mind is: Will we now see Siddiqui more in mainstream Bollywood films and less in independent, off-beat, realistic films?
Siddiqui said, "A lot of people have asked me this question. I will do a big-budget commercial film probably once every two years. This will help the small films that I will be a part of. But I will never stop working with independent, experimental cinema."
Ecstatic about the success that has come his way after 'Gangs of Wasseypur - Part 2', 'Kahaani', 'The Lunchbox' and now 'Kick', Siddiqui said that it is due to the two decades of hard work he has put in this industry. "The success that I am fortunate enough to get, is the result of the hard work I put in 20 years ago, practicing, struggling, working from a tiny room, doing odd jobs, bit roles and long waits," he said.
When asked about the experience of working in a big-budget film, with an immensely popular actor like Salman Khan, Siddiqui said in an interview to PTI, "It was really great. Salman made the working environment very light and easy because he is easy-going in real life. He is the most honest co-actor I have ever worked with."
While critics have praised Siddiqui's performance in 'Kick' -- indeed, no one is in doubt of his acting abilities -- we felt that he was a little lost in the film -- and by lost, we don't mean sidelined. The viewers are used to seeing him in meaty, gritty and real roles that are based delicate intricacies of human nature. Not this sketchily-written villain who expresses more through his punch lines and evil laughter than focus on the method behind the madness.
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