Nawazuddin Siddiqui

Roots Of Nepotism In Bollywood Are Strong Enough To Spoil The Status Of Indian Films Forever

Jul 212017

Bollywood, an industry that has taken India to an entirely new level and has given us moments to be proud of, seems to have come to a standstill with lack of novelty, almost 100 years later since its origin. Gone are the days when actors were known to be artists, their aura served as a light to many and their art was not only a source of entertainment but an inspiration to many. It was many decades ago when no ‘Kapoors’, ‘Khans’ or ‘Bhatts’ used to rule Bollywood, the fact that performance and stardom used to walk hand-in-hand is no more completely valid these days. While ‘Kapoors’ are known to be the flag bearers of nepotism, almost every second actor in the Indian film industry is the flag bearer of families which have produced some of the greatest actors, ironical is the fact that these flag bearers are not born actors.

The Impact Of Nepotism On Bollywood Is Larger Than What We See © Twitter

We saw the seeds of nepotism easily sprouting in Bollywood. Actors with pure talent are sidelined due to first priorities given to recommendations. And the worst part is, if an outsider tries to raise his voice, he is slammed, cursed and denoted a wannabe seeking attention.

Let us talk about a recent example which sparked the nepotism debate on a bigger level. When actress Kangana Ranaut with her ‘Rangoon’ co-stars Saif Ali Khan and Shahid Kapoor appeared in an episode of ‘Koffee with Karan’, she didn’t shy away in tagging Karan Johar as the flag bearer of Nepotism. In no time this divided Bollywood in two groups, the feminists and the ones supporting Johar. Much has been said and done till date and this issue has become a wider phenomenon.

However, Kangana is one of the few people to have given an opinion. The idea of nepotism is wider than we believe it. So why did, in the first place, Karan Johar choose to launch Alia Bhatt and Varun Dhawan through ‘Student of the Year’ despite of the fact that their (Alia and Varun) fathers have remained well known directors-producers in their times? Was there a dearth of good struggling actors, who could have deserved the stardom? And now there are speculations about who would bag the lead role in ‘Student of the Year’ sequel, let us tell you that Jahnavi Kapoor (Sridevi’s daughter) and Sara Ali Khan (Saif Ali Khan’s daughter) are already in discussions for the role.

The Impact Of Nepotism On Bollywood Is Larger Than What We See © Facebook

No doubt Ranbir Kapoor is a good actor and has proved himself after giving a few flops, no doubt Alia Bhatt has nurtured herself to become a better actress, but what about those who after years of struggle bag just the side roles and are never considered amongst the royals? We are proud of the fact that we have people like Nawazuddin Siddiqui, Ayushmann Khurrana, Priyanka Chopra, Randeep Hooda and Richa Chadda to name a few, whom we can refer to as actors with real acting capabilities.

Even after working under good banners and having spent years in Bollywood, some of them have just taken their privileges for granted. They have neither been able to speak up for themselves to the least, nor have they worked hard enough to keep up the names of their filmy ancestors. Becoming an artist who not only brings the glamour to you but also brings a change in society, is no more existential, ‘competition’ seems to be a dull word, particularly for those who have not even tasted the essential crisis which the word ‘struggle’ itself holds.

The Impact Of Nepotism On Bollywood Is Larger Than What We See © Facebook

If Bollywood is not about nepotism and favouritism, then why a major number of actors do not reach one level up, where the world starts noticing them. Why till date, we do not even have a good number of Bollywood stars with international recognition? Reason is as clear and bitter as ice – For years and years we get to see the same sparkling yet hollow faces who do not even know the number of opportunities they have snatched, just because they belong to a good old Bollywood clan. If we see the ratio, the percentage of outsiders in Bollywood, it would not even be fifty percent.

Boredom has already set in with no good scripts, less good actors and almost no experimentation. Look at Hollywood, Bollywood! And notice the gap if you can. Sooner or later, the Indian audience would wake up to let you know that they are no more interested to see the two and half hours of nonsense being presented to them in the name of big directors or actors. They would stop loving you for not being able to present your art which you were supposed to do, because now they have something called Netflix which would anytime replace a boring Karan Johar drama with an interesting original series.

Nawazuddin Siddiqui: I've encountered racism all my life

Celebrities

Jul 212017

Nawazuddin Siddiqu

Nawazuddin Siddiqui is the ebony-complexioned superstar of Bollywood whom every producer wants to sign at any cost. He is barely out of one highly-lauded role in “Mom” when hes already looking at another crowd-pleasing role as a hoodlum dancer in “Munna Michael”.

Many consider Nawazuddin to be one of the finest, if not the finest actor of Hindi cinema today. Therefore when he speaks the world listens.

Last week after casting director Sanjay Chouhan spoke about how co-actors cast with Nawazuddin have to be dark-skinned, the actor raised the question of racism through a tweet that said: “Thank you for making me realise that I cannot be paired along with the fair and handsome because I’m dark and not good looking.”

A lot has been said and written about his words.Finally he clarified the whole issue in an interview which threatened to go into tricky tangents on societal prejudice.

Said the actor with a deep sigh: “I was reacting to what I read about this gentleman’s statement on the kind of actors I need to be cast with. I found the statement very strange. Did filmmakers actually consider the colour of my co-stars’ skin before casting them with me? Yeh ladki gori hai yeh nahin chalegi…yeh ladka saawla hai isskobanao Nawaz ka dost… Is that how actors are cast in our films? I thought actors were chosen for suitability and merit….Anyway, this gentleman says he was misquoted.”

Nawazuddin says he hates playing the victim card. “But the fact is, I have faced prejudices all my life because of my dark complexion, because of my humble background and because I come from a small village. Prejudice is embedded deep in our minds. All of us are prejudiced. It begins at home where the mother says, ‘Beta gori bahu le aao tab bachche kale nahin honge.’ As if my criteria for choosing a life partner must be the colour of her skin.”

Nawaz doesn’t want to point fingers at any particular section of society.

“I am not saying there is more prejudice in the film industry. It exists in every profession, every walk of life. In cinema. I don’t think I’ve been rejected for being dark-skinned. Nor has any heroine refused to work with me for the way I look. But yes, you can’t deny that leading men are supposed to look a particular way. Hero ka matlab hota hai gora-chitta(hero means fair-complexioned).

“There is a lot of curiosity to see the children from film families. And invariably the question of how fair-skinned he or she is, comes up. Someone like me with no connection in the industry has to prove myself. Because I’ve no background in cinema and I don’t look like a film actor. Yeh kya karega? That’s how I was initially welcomed.”

Nawaz feels we take no pride in our talent.

“We wait for our artistes to be endorsed in the West before celebrating their talent. When I was in New York I went to Broadway to watch the rehearsal for a play. I was introduced to an actor as the best actor in the world. To them in America everything they have is the best. We have far less confidence in our talent.”

The actor also doesn’t want to take away from the struggle of actors from film families.

“Look at Tiger Shroff. See how hard he works. I got a chance to watch him dance in ‘Munna Michael’. Believe me, he is miraculous. Though he is the son of a star like Jackie Shroff he never tried to use that as a calling card in the industry. In fact I think he worked towards being a fantastic dance as that was one area where his father was not skilled.”

Nawaz himself has tried some dancing in Munna Michael.

“I am very nervous. I want to know what people think about my dancing. Because I’ve always had a mental block about dancing. Dancing on screen was challenge for me as an actor. I hope I’ve pulled it off.”

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6 Offbeat Actors To Watch When You Have Had Enough Of Commercial Cinema

Celebrities

Jul 182017

The Hindi film industry is home to a vast amount of talent, but most of its talented actors are often not given the right kind of fame that they deserve. While some actors have more than their fair share of accolades and adulation, most of the talented thespians are often relegated to the shadows. A mediocre film with huge star power will see huge box office collections, but films with an extremely good storyline and amazing actors hardly ever get a big release and fades away from public memory quite fast.

But, for when you have had enough of the so-called “talented” stars of Bollywood, do give the films made by these offbeat non-commercial actors a look to genuinely appreciate good cinema being made.

1. Abhay Deol

He doesn’t shy away from speaking his mind, and the characters he has played on-screen prove that. While he may have been a part of commercially successful films such as ‘Zindagi Na Milegi Dobaara’ and ‘Oye Lucky! Lucky Oye!’, Abhay Deol is one actor who never got his due. His debut film ‘Socha Na Tha’ was a class apart and so have many of his other films been such as ‘Ek Chalis Ki Last Local’, ‘Manorama Six Feet Under’, and ‘Ahista Ahista’. Watch his films when you want to understand the depths to which actors can go to look convincing.

Offbeat Bollywood Actors © Facebook

2. Radhika Apte

This pretty actress is truly an unconventional heroine and takes on roles that require her to be more than just a pretty face and supporting actor. She started her career with a small role in the fantasy film, ‘Vaah! Life Ho Toh Aisi!’ in 2005 and then went on to deliver phenomenal hits such as ‘Rakta Charitra’and ‘Shor In The City’. While she may not have found success in Bollywood, she went on to deliver good projects in various regional language films, such as Bengali, Marathi, Tamil, and Telegu. She has even tried her luck in theatre and various short films. So, when you feel like watching good cinema that is high on quality, do watch Radhika’s short film ‘Kriti’ and ‘Ahalya’.

Offbeat Bollywood Actors © Twitter

3. Kalki Koechlin

Who can forget Kalki’s tomboyish avatar Aditi in the film ‘Yeh Jawaani Hai Deewani’ and as Lisa in ‘Ek Thi Daayan’? While these films attained commercial success, many of Kalki’s other films did not get the attention they deserved as they did not have the star power required to make them commercial hits. Do watch Kalki’s amazing performances in ‘Margarita With A Straw’, ‘That Girl In Yellow Boots’, ‘A Death In The Gunj’, ‘I Am’, and ‘Waiting’ to understand the depth of her performances. Apart from acting in films, Kalki is also a part of various stage plays and is known to voice her opinions strongly for any cause that she feels about.

Offbeat Bollywood Actors © Facebook

4. Irrfan Khan

Irrfan Khan is probably the most underrated actor in the Hindi film industry. He has given some mind-blowing performances in movies such as ‘The Lunchbox’, ‘Hindi Medium’, ‘Paan Singh Tomar’, ‘Maqbool’, and ‘Haasil’, to name a few. He has also been a part of various international projects such as ‘Life Of Pi’, ‘Inferno’, ‘Jurassic Park’, and ‘The Namesake’. While his acting is no doubt excellent, Bollywood has failed to recognize his talents and he is often relegated to the roles of a supporting actor or when he is the male lead, the film fails to garner much support and is not a major hit. If you want to know the powerhouse of talent that is Irrfan Khan, do watch his films such as ‘Mumbai Meri Jaan’, ‘Talvaar’, and ‘Madaari’.

Offbeat Bollywood Actors © Facebook

5. Nawazuddin Siddiqui

He is the dark horse of the Indian film industry, and Nawazuddin Siddiqui has proven himself time and again. With films such as ‘Raman Raghav 2.0′, ‘Freaky Ali’, ‘Manjhi: The Mountain Man’, and ‘Haraamkhor’ to his credit, he is a force to be reckoned with. He is a powerhouse performer and his acting prowess is unmatched. In films like ‘Raees’, ‘Bajrangi Bhaijaan’, ‘Badlapur’, ‘Mom’, and ‘Talaash’, when he has been cast alongside famous actors, he has proven his mettle and outshone them.

Offbeat Bollywood Actors © Facebook

6. Swara Bhaskar

Swara Bhaskar achieved commercial success after a string of failures with movies such as ‘Madholal Keep Walking’ and ‘The Untitled Kartik Krishnan Project’ when she played supporting roles in films like ‘Tanu Weds Manu’, ‘Raanjhanaa’, ‘Prem Ratan Dhan Payo’, ‘Tanu Weds Manu Returns’, and ‘Listen… Amaya’. When her solo hits ‘Nil Battey Sannata’ and ‘Anaarkali of Aarah’ did well on the box-office, it was then that critics stood up and took notice of her. However, she is yet to make it to the list of Bollywood’s A-listers. But, we do not see her complaining and she has been known to take a stance for important issues and is not one to back down from any controversies.

Offbeat Bollywood Actors © Facebook

While these actors may have started out small, they are in no way behind the stars of today and have their own fan following, who religiously watch all their films.

Never imagined I’d work with Akshaye Khanna: Sridevi

Celebrities

Jul 072017

Akshaye-Khanna Sridevi worked with Vinod Khanna in the 1989 film “Chandni”. Back then and even later, she never thought she will end up acting with his son Akshaye Khanna, with whom she has shared the frame for “Mom”.

“I used to meet Akshaye on the sets of ‘Chandni’ while working with Vinod Khanna, but I never imagined that I would ever work with him,” Sridevi said in an interview to IANS here.

“He (Akshaye) is a focussed and dignified actor, and you come across only a very few actors like him. It was wonderful to work with him,” added the actress, who was in the capital for the film’s promotion.

It is after a leap of five years that the 53-year-old actress has returned to acting in Bollywood. She last regaled her fans in a mother’s role in “English Vinglish”, and she is once again playing the role of a mother in “Mom” — but with a difference.

“For two years, I was enjoying the success of “English Vinglish” (2012). I got many scripts but that spontaneity of saying ‘yes’ did not strike me. The script of ‘Mom’ script really touched me and moved me. So I decided to work on it,” Sridevi added.

The story of “Mom”, directed by Ravi Udyawar, talks about how far a mother can go for the sake of her children. It also features critically acclaimed actor Nawazuddin Siddiqui in a key role.

“It’s a universal subject… This mother character is strong and she is not on the softer side,” said Sridevi, who “really enjoyed” how the film gave her a chance to portray an “intense, emotional and genuine” part.

A mother of two daughters — Jhanvi and Khushi, how is she as a mom off-screen?
“I am not possessive, but a very protective mother. Me and my daughters are more like friends, so we share and discuss everything.
“Mother is a mother — everywhere it’s the same — the concern, the worries always remain,” she said, adding that the story of “Mom” is very relevant in today’s time.

The film is produced by her husband Boney Kapoor.

She calls him “the most passionate and involved producer I have come across”.

“Not just in financing the movie, but in each step he was there for the actors and technicians as well to fulfil their views towards the movie,” said Sridevi.

The evergreen beauty, who worked as a child artiste first and then took on leading roles starting 1976, has worked across Hindi, Telugu, Malayalam, and Kannada cinema. Loved for her expressive acting and dancing skills, she has delivered memorable performances in films like “Himmatwala”, “Mr. India”, “Sadma”, “Nagina”, “ChaalBaaz” and “Lamhe”.

“Mom” will release on Friday.

Mom Review: Sridevi and Nawazuddins Performances Definitely Make It A Must Watch

Celebrities

Jul 072017

“Jab galat aur bahut galat mein se chunana ho, toh aap kya chunenge?” (When you have to choose between wrong and very wrong, what would you choose?”). This question posed by Sridevi stays with you long after you leave the theatre. The intensity of this one line is so deep that it keeps echoing in your head.

‘Mom’, starring Sridevi, Nawazuddin Siddiqui, and Akshaye Khanna isn’t just a film that entertains you, but it is a film that moves you and brings back the reality that we try to shun time and again. From making you restless to giving you goosebumps, ‘Mom’ is a film that you end up liking despite its predictable plot.

The whole premise of the film revolves around Ary Sabrwala (Sajal Ali) who is gang raped by her classmate Mohit and his friends. This shatters the lives of Devaki Sabarwal (Sridevi, Arya’s mother) and her family. But due to the “loss” of evidence, these culprits are declared innocent by the court. Devaki decides to take revenge! What’s left for the audience is to see if she succeeds in doing what our justice system failed to do?

From portraying a strained relationship between a teen and her stepmother to the story after her sexual assault, Ravi Udyawar’s directorial debut brilliantly captures the myriad of emotions associated with a dark and deeply disturbing topic and it will keep on the edge of your seat.

Saying anything else about the plot of the film is as good as giving you a spoiler. But we can surely drop some hints on Nawazuddin Siddiqui’s character. He plays a detective named DK who helps Sridevi. You also have Crime Branch Officer, Francis, (Akshaye Khanna) who has his own set of suspicions and is tracking the case on his own.

To sum it up, here are the reasons why you should watch ‘Mom’ this weekend.

1. The film proves that Sridevi is one of the finest actors around and no matter how far she stays away from the silver screen she is just fabulous when she is on it. She carries the whole movie on her shoulders and delivers a performance for the ages. She isn’t playing a character, she IS that character.

2. What can we say about Nawaz? Has this man ever disappointed us? You give him a character and he gets into the skin of that role. He provides some much-required humour in the film amidst all the drama and tension. He is just outstanding!

3. Watching Akshaye onscreen after such a long time is a treat. We’re just wondering why we don’t see him more often?

4. Saljal and Adnan (Arya’s father) mark their Bollywood debut with ‘Mom’ and there have impressed us with their acting skills.

5. A R Rahman’s music and background score are truly exceptional and add so much to the film.

6. From direction to Anay Goswamy’s cinematography, the film keeps us focused on the screen right up to the end.

7. The film justifies the famous line, “Bhagan har jagah nahi ho sakta….isliye usne Maa banayi hai.” (God couldn’t be everywhere so he created a mother).

8. Sridevi and Nawaz sharing screen space together just takes this film to another level. We bow down to them!

However, the only problem with the film is its climax and it is sadly, a little too predictable and gets too dramatic giving it a completely mainstream and dull end. But apart from those last 20 minutes, this film worth every penny. Do not miss this hard hitting story. Check it out this weekend.

Nawazuddin Siddiqui: Can't put labels on my characters

Celebrities

Jul 042017

Nawazuddin Siddiqui

He can morph into any character he chooses to play on screen, and Nawazuddin Siddiqui says he consciously takes up roles that keep him from getting stereotyped. “I have played over 2,000 characters in theatre through seven years. I have a lot of ‘masala’ to show. I have confidence, which allows me to try different roles. The ones who get scared are those who have nothing left to show. I have a lot of characters stored in my bank,” the actor says.

Siddiqui is inspired by roles that showcase the different aspects of human nature. “I like doing grey roles since they have more depth and complexity. I can’t do these larger-than-life hero or villain-like characters, because they don’t interest me. I hate these two extremes, they don’t have any shades. I observe characters from real life and know that people have both good and bad characteristics in them. When you put both of them together, what you get is a complete human being.”

The actor will next be seen in Sridevi-starrer ‘Mom’, followed by ‘Munna Michael’ and ‘Babumoshai Bandookbaaz’.

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