Nawazuddin Siddiqui: Unveiling the Enigmatic Journey of a Bollywood Icon – Biography, Career, and Inspiring Story… (2023)

Profile:-

Biography:-

Nawazuddin Siddiqui was born on May 19, 1974, in Budhana, Muzaffarnagar, Uttar Pradesh, India (age 49 as of 2023). Nawazuddin went to B. S. S. Inter College Budhana in Muzaffarnagar, Uttar Pradesh, to study. Because there was little access to electricity when he was growing up, he had to study beneath a lantern throughout his education. Later, Nawazuddin relocated to Haridwar and enrolled in the Bachelor of Science in Chemistry program at ‘Gurukul Kangri University’ in Haridwar, Uttarakhand. Nawazuddin Siddiqui used to actively participate in declamation, painting, and theatrical competitions in college.

During his struggling days, Nawazuddin used to work in a pharmacist shop in Vadodara. He then moved to Delhi and joined a theatre troupe to pursue his acting career. Nawazuddin Siddiqui had to work as a watchman for almost 5 years due to a lack of funds in theatres.

Later, Nawazuddin attended the National School of Drama (NSD). After learning to act, he moved to Mumbai in 2004 to pursue his acting profession. Nawaz had the most difficult time in Mumbai since he was sleeping in the flat of his old NSD senior, for whom he had to cook meals.

Family:-

Nawazuddin Siddiqui was born on May 19, 1974, in the small village of Budhana, Muzaffarnagar district, Uttar Pradesh, India, into a Zamindari Muslim Lambardar family named the Numberdars. He belongs to the Sunni sect. Nawazuddin’s father, Late Nawabuddin Siddiqui, was a farmer who also used to operate an Aara, a wood-cutting machine. Mehroonisa is the name of Nawazuddin’s mother. Nawazuddin is the oldest of 9 siblings. He has six brothers and two sisters.

Wife & Children:-

On March 17, 2010, Nawazuddin Siddiqui married Anjali aka Anjana Pandey, who was from his village. Anjali is also known as Aaliya Siddiqui.

Anjali and Nawazuddin Siddiqui have two children: Shora Siddiqui, a daughter, and Yaani Siddiqui, a son.

Divorce:-

Nawazuddin alleged said in an interview that before their marriage, Aaliya pretended to be an unmarried lady to him, even though she was married to someone else. Nawazuddin’s wife, Aaliya Siddiqui, has presented him with a divorce suit. The couple has been married for over ten years and has two children, but Aaliyah has reportedly stated that they have had marital troubles from the beginning. Nawazuddin and Aaliya finally got divorced in March 2023.

Affairs:-

• Sunita Rajwar, an Indian cinema and theater actress who was Nawazuddin’s classmate at the NSD, was said to be his first girlfriend.
• Nawazuddin dated actress Niharika Singh for a while.

Career:-

Nawazuddin Siddiqui made his Bollywood debut in the 1999 film ‘Sarfarosh’, which starred Aamir Khan and Sonali Bendre. Nawazuddin played a small role in the film, and his performance remained overlooked. He later participated in the films ‘Jungle’ (2000) and ‘Munnabhai MBBS’ (2003), in which he played minor roles. Siddiqui also attempted to obtain an acting job in television serials but was unsuccessful.

Nawazuddin Siddiqui co-starred with Irrfan Khan in the 2003 short film ‘The Bypass’. Nawazuddin, on the other hand, was out of a job for most of 2002 to 2005.

Nawazuddin’s performance in Anurag Kashyap’s 2007 film ‘Black Friday’ paved the way for bigger opportunities. Soon after, Nawazuddin landed his first main part as ‘Chakku’ in Prashant Bhargava’s ‘Patang’ (2012). Following the film’s premieres at the Tribeca Film Festival and the Berlin International Film Festival, world-renowned reviewer Roger Ebert commended his natural acting abilities. Nawazuddin later appeared in the song ‘Emotional Atyachar’ from the film ‘Dev.D’ (2009). While Nawazuddin’s work in the film ‘New York’ (2009) was well received by critics, it was his portrayal as a journalist in ‘Peepli Live’ (2010) that earned him widespread acclaim in the business.

Nawazuddin had his breakout role a few years later in the film ‘Kahani’ (2012), directed by Sujoy Ghosh. The film, which starred Vidya Balan, featured Nawazuddin in the part of an earnest but short-tempered Intelligence Bureau officer, which he played with sincerity. Nawazuddin also appeared in the critically acclaimed film ‘Miss Lovely’ (2014). He referred to his role as his most genuine performance. Nawazuddin also appeared in Reema Kagti’s 2012 film ‘Talaash: The Answer Lies Within’, in which he co-starred with Aamir Khan, Kareena Kapoor Khan, and Rani Mukerji. He has gained notoriety for his gritty performance as Faizal Khan in Anurag Kashyap’s Gangs of Wasseypur II. His performance in the film secured his standing among Bollywood’s best actors.

Nawazuddin Siddiqui featured in two films in 2015: ‘Bajrangi Bhaijaan’ and ‘Manjhi – The Mountain Man’. He received praise for his performances in both of these films. In the same year, Nawazuddin also appeared in Shlok Sharma’s film ‘Haramkhor’. Nawazuddin was featured in Anurag Kashyap’s 2016 film ‘Raman Raghav 2.0’, which was inspired by the real-life notorious serial killer Raman Raghav. Although the film received mixed reviews at the box office, Nawazuddin’s acting was praised. Nawazuddin gave another strong performance in ‘Freaky Ali’, a sports romantic comedy written and directed by Sohail Khan.

Nawazuddin appeared in several well-received films in 2017, including Shah Rukh Khan’s Raees and Ranbir Kapoor’s musical mystery comedy Jagga Jasoos. Aside from this, the actor played the title character in the action crime drama Babumoshai Bandookbaaz, in which he played a sharpshooting contract killer.

Nawazuddin portrays yesteryear writer Saadat Hasan Manto in Nandita Das’s renowned biographical drama ‘Manto’ in 2018. His performance was praised by critics and audiences.

In 2019, Nawazuddin Siddiqui made his Tamil film debut with a crucial role in Rajinikanth’s ‘Petta’, directed by Karthik Subbaraj. In the same year, he played the eponymous character in the bilingual biographical drama ‘Thackeray’ (2019), which depicted Shiv Sena founder and politician Bal Thackeray’s life and times. ‘Photograph’ (2019), ‘Motichoor Chaknachoor’ (2019), and ‘Anwar Ka Ajab Kissa’ (2020) are some recent prominent productions. Nawazuddin made a cameo appearance in Farhad Samji’s 2019 film Housefull 4.

Controversies:

Spy on his Wife Aaliyah:

According to media sources, the actor was arrested for reportedly spying on his wife.  Nawazuddin Siddiqui allegedly hired a private investigator to snoop on his wife and obtain her phone records.

Nawazuddin Siddiqui’s Book Launch:

In October 2017, Nawazuddin’s prior girlfriends Sunita Rajwar and actress Niharika Singh, who co-starred with him in “Miss Lovely,” accused him of lying in his autobiography, “An Ordinary Life: A Memoir”. After receiving harsh criticism for his biography, Nawaz announced its withdrawal a few days later.

Net worth:-

Nawazuddin Siddiqui charges a salary of around 1 Crore (INR) per film. His net worth is estimated to be around USD 13 million which equates to around 96 crores in INR.

Awards:-

• Nawazuddin Siddiqui won the Special Jury Award at the National Film Awards in 2012.
• Nawazuddin Siddiqui also won the Filmfare Award for Best Supporting Actor in 2013.
• 2013: Nawaz won Asian Film Awards for Best Supporting Actor for the film ‘Talaash’.
• 2013: Won Asia Pacific Film Festival for Best Supporting Actor for the film ‘The Lunchbox’.
• 2013: Won Stardust Awards for Best Supporting Actor for the film ‘Kahaani’.
• 2014: Nawazuddin Siddiqui won Chicago South Asian Film Festival for Outstanding Achievement in Cinema.
• 2016: Won Zee Cine Awards for Best Actor in a Comic Role for the film ‘Bajrangi Bhaijaan’.
• 2016: Won Zee Cine Awards for Best Performance in a Negative Role for the film ‘Badlapur’.
• 2017: Won New York Indian Film Festival for Best Actor for the film ‘Haraamkhor’.
• 2018: Nawazuddin won the GQ Men of the Year Award for Actor of the Year for the film ‘Manto’.
• 2019: Won Asian Film Talent Award (SIFF) for Lesley Ho Asian Film Talent ‘Sacred Games.
• 2019: Cardiff International Film Festival-Golden Dragon Award for Excellence in Cinema.

Facts:-

• Nawazuddin worked as the chief chemist at SCME Petrochemicals in Baroda for nearly three years while attending college to study science.
• In Uljhan, an adaption of a narrative, Nawazuddin played a tree and had to hold his hands up in the air like branches for two hours. He did it because Manoj Bajpayee was the star.
• Nawazuddin was paid 500 rupees for his initial part as a dhobi in the Pepsi Sachin Ala Re commercial.
• Nawazuddin Siddiqui is a chain smoker.
• Nawazuddin is a quiet man who prefers to stay out of the spotlight.
• Nawazuddin has worked with all three Khans.
• In an interview, Nawaz stated that if he weren’t an actor, he would be a farmer.