Actor Nawazuddin Siddiqui has often spoken about the struggles he faced before finding success in the film industry, including a phase when even small acting assignments were crucial to making ends meet.
An old video from one of Kapil Sharma’s shows has resurfaced online, in which Nawazuddin recalled an advertisement shoot that brought him some much-needed money during his early years in Mumbai.
The actor said he had taken on several small roles, including parts in low-budget films, but remained largely unknown. At one point, when he and a friend were short of money, a casting director directed them to an advertisement shoot at Film City.
Nawazuddin recalled that they walked from Four Bungalows to Film City to attend the shoot. He was eventually placed among junior artistes and was asked what he would do during the scene. He said he chose to sleep and read a newspaper so that his face would remain hidden, fearing that people would question why an actor trained at the National School of Drama (NSD) was doing such minor roles.
After the shoot, the duo received Rs 2,500. However, an artistes’ coordinator questioned them because they did not have union cards and demanded a share of the payment. Nawazuddin said he handed over Rs 2,000.
With the remaining money, the friends went to Santosh Nagar and ate a lavish meal after a long period of hardship. By the time they finished eating, only around Rs 200 remained.
They then took an auto back home, leaving them with virtually no money.
The anecdote offers a glimpse into the difficult period Nawazuddin experienced before establishing himself as one of Hindi cinema’s recognised actors.