He came to the city of dreams with Rs2,500 (Dh143) in his pocket and an ambition to make it big in films. But before giving him his due, Mumbai tested Nawazuddin Siddiqui’s patience so much so that the actor has now become fear-proof.
“I have already faced so much in my life. I have seen that time when I didn’t even have a single penny in my pocket. And it stayed like that for two-three years. I used to have lunch at one friend’s place, dinner at other’s and a third friend would get cigarettes for me.
“I came to Mumbai with Rs2,500. If I again face a situation where I am left with just Rs2,500, I would not feel like a failure. I am not afraid of anything,” Nawaz said.
His first Bollywood break was a small role in Aamir Khan’s Sarfarosh. The 43-year-old actor continued featuring in blink-and-you-miss-it roles in various films till Gangs of Wasseypur came and changed his fate.
Siddiqui says he thought about leaving Mumbai a lot during his struggling days but he somehow held on to his dream as going back was not an option for him.
“For 12 long years, I kept waiting but it was my choice. I chose to stay and keep trying. I was prepared to go through all the pain to achieve my dream of becoming an actor. There were times when I felt like leaving Mumbai.
“But I did not want to return to my village as people had already told me that I could not be an actor.”
From doing walk-on parts to finally being the star of his own films, life has taken a 180-degree turn for Siddiqui, but the actor says he is still unaffected by the success he has achieved.
Siddiqui says earning money and fame is not his aim and hence fear of losing them does not bother him.
“It is not about money, but the experience I have gained during my journey, which matters to me. The experience of rejection and failure is priceless. These things have made me what I am today. Whatever I have today is much more than what I ever expected. I feel very secure in my space.”
