Nawazuddin Siddiqui did not become a star overnight. No doubt he evolved into a prominent actor in the industry thanks to his outstanding performances in hit films like Gangs of Wasseypur, Manto, The Lunchbox, as well as the highly loved shows, Sacred Games and Raat Akeli Hai. But even before his fame and accolades, his entire life was characterized by rejection and faith in his abilities as he struggled and did odd jobs in the hope that someone would recognize his talent one day.
Nawazuddin was born in Budhana village with seven siblings and spent his childhood in a big family. After getting his graduation degree in chemistry, he started working in Vadodara, Gujarat, but after attending a theatre performance, he realized that acting was his passion and he should pursue it instead of sticking to chemistry.
With a passion to become an actor, Nawazuddin moved to Delhi and started his theatre journey, which eventually led him to the National School of Drama. Despite the rough start in his acting career, Nawazuddin worked as a watchman to support himself.
Facing reality hit even harder once he reached Mumbai. Having arrived with a mere Rs. 2,500 in his pocket, years later, he was still going through auditions for roles that never turned up. During those days, he lived only on packets of Parle-G biscuits and shared small flats with other struggling actors and constantly wondered if his dreams would come true or not.
Nawazuddin confessed in later interviews that he felt “unlucky” for almost a decade and often cried in private after facing rejection after rejection. The irony was that he was an actor already, but few people acknowledged him. His blink-and-miss roles in films like Sarfarosh and Munna Bhai M.B.B.S., soon followed by appearances in Shool or Black Friday, did not help.
In 2012, everything changed.
Anurag Kashyap’s film Gangs of Wasseypur introduced people to the character of Faizal Khan, played with unbelievable intensity. After years of hardship, Bollywood was finally able to realize what theatre lovers had been aware of the whole time.
Today, Nawazuddin Siddiqui is the perfect example that life and success are all about patience and believing in your craft and yourself, even when nobody else does. His rise to become one of the most prominent actors in the industry proves that sometimes, the brightest stars are the ones that take the longest to be seen.
