ABP Thoughts of India: Nawazuddin Siddiqui, known for his unconventional roles and exceptional performances, had a candid exchange of words in a session during the ABP Ideas of India Summit in Mumbai on Saturday.
During the session ‘The Streaming Life | The OTT Boom: The Actor as a Star’, and headed by Sumit Awasthi of ABP Network, the actor talks about what it took to make him the person he is today, and the contribution of OTT to that.
Nawazuddin admits that he is now one of the highest paid actors in the industry. He added that he is “an actor, but charges ‘star’ rates”, adding that while superstars do one film a year, he does five.
The same Nawazuddin took a local train and took a two-wheeler ride to reach the venue and was stopped due to high vehicular traffic.
“The Nawaz we know is this,” Awasthi said at the beginning of the conversation. “A man who came to Mumbai with dreams and worked as a watchman to fulfill them, now has a palatial house. He was never short of work. Then what is his Idea of India?”
The actor replied that it is the quality of work that people do and the passion and determination to do it. He said skill needed to be acquired, and added that he believed it was his stubborn determination that brought him to where he is, and that determination should be in everyone.
Talking further about how COVID-19 affected his life, he said how it was a fortunate and unfortunate time, but where it helped, was in ushering in a time for realisation, which Ultimately, it can be used to create a better future. ,
So does he ever have the feeling of leaving everything behind? In response, Nawazuddin said that he had actually tried twice to go to Dharamsala in Himachal Pradesh and live as a monk, sometime in 1990 and 1991.
‘Disappointing when independent films don’t do well’
The highlight of the event was his overview on the rise of OTT platforms. When asked which platform he liked, he batted for everyone. Appealing to watch more independent films, he urged the audience to watch and appreciate the films being screened at film festivals. He also spoke about how these films perform exceptionally well on global platforms yet tank domestically.
Talking further about the rise of OTT, he recalled how the platform had taken good content to a global audience, yet it was now limited to business. Expressing disappointment over this, he said how “good things don’t last in this country” and how OTT has now been taken over by “stars” who have “ruined the stage” as per the content.
When asked about the freedom and creative freedom that OTT platforms allow, he said that when nudity or certain profanity is used in Sacred Games, it has a subtext and is usually a piece of characterization in the content. performed as part. He said that it is wrong to use abusive language just to sensationalise.
When the conversation turned to the recent success of a film like The Kashmir Files made on what was essentially a small budget, he said that directors have a vision and a lens through which they see a story and present it, and It should be allowed.
‘Yet to see a black female superstar in Bollywood’
Continuing with his personal achievements, when he was asked to recall a time when he felt a sense of accomplishment, he replied saying that material possessions do not bring him happiness. What makes him happy is a well executed scene. He spoke of how some of his best works gave him a feeling that was never released for the audience to see.
Concluding the discussion by raising an important point and stating the aspect of racism in Bollywood, she made some indecently truthful remarks about how she is yet to see a dark-skinned female superstar in Bollywood.
When asked what needed to change, he immediately replied that there is a need for education and awareness to recognize the talent and skill of the craft. He highlighted how money and marketing help shape the careers and images of fairly “average” actors.
Asked if he sees Hollywood coming to India to make films, he questioned the continuing need for Western recognition and explained how Iranian and Korean cinema have successfully carved a niche for themselves and are much more important than Western cinema. has attained great stature. Concluding his discussion, he once again called for the need for good content which will reign supreme over any other aspect if we are to make a place in global cinema.