Nawazuddin Siddiqui Recalls Being Stopped on His Own Film Sets, Talks About Industry Bias.
Actor Nawazuddin Siddiqui enjoys blending into the crowd, but this often leads to amusing situations—such as being denied entry onto the sets of his own films.
Speaking at the Cinevesture International Film Festival, he shared how, in his early career, casting directors often dismissed him, saying he didn’t “look like an actor.” Frustrated by such judgments, he recalled, *”I would introduce myself as an actor, and they’d ask, ‘Who are you?’ When I told them, they’d reply, ‘You don’t look like one.’”*
“Hrithik Roshan is Unconventional, Not Me”
Reflecting on past interviews, Nawazuddin spoke about being labeled *”unconventional-looking.”* He countered this perception by saying, *”How am I unconventional when crores of people in India look like me? I am the conventional one. It’s Hrithik Roshan who looks unconventional.”*
Stopped at His Own Film Sets
The actor recalled an incident from the set of *Talaash*, where a security guard refused to let him in until he convinced him that he was part of the film. Even today, he faces similar situations. While shooting for *Raat Akeli Hai Part 2*, director Honey Trehan struggled to spot him on set, only realizing he was standing right behind him. Nawazuddin takes this in stride, saying, *”I love blending into the crowd. It’s part of my personality, and I use it to my advantage.”*
On Facing Colorism and Unfair Treatment
In a previous interview with News18 Showsha, Nawazuddin opened up about facing discrimination due to his appearance. He revealed that people have repeatedly called him unattractive, to the point where he started believing it himself. *”I don’t know why some people hate the way we look. Maybe we’re just that ugly. Even I question why I entered the film industry with such a face,”* he admitted, highlighting the biases that still persist in the industry.