'In Bollywood, the distinction between lead and side roles matter'

Nawazuddin Siddiqui said that he will only do lead roles even if he has to fund his own films, adding that he need not be a hero, but the role must be important in the narrative.

He has previously worked with Salman Khan in ‘Kick’ and ‘Bajrangi Bhaijaan’ and he also played an important part in Shah Rukh Khan’s ‘Raees’. However, he has not featured with big stars for a few years now. Except for a small role in Akshay Kumar’s ‘Housefull 4’, Nawazuddin has not been associated with star-driven films, since ‘Raees’ (2017).

Talking about it, Nawazuddin told a leading news agency in an interview: “It’s not as if I don’t want to work with Salman or Shah Rukh. If I get a strong role in a big film, I will do it like I have done earlier too. In this industry, the distinction between lead and side roles matter. In Europe or Hollywood, it does not matter. But here, supporting actors are relegated to secondary roles. I have somehow escaped that and I don’t want to repeat that. I will only do lead roles even if I have to invest money in the film myself.”

He added that this does not mean he will only play the role of the hero.

“Like I did ‘Raees’, my character was opposite Shah Rukh and it was important. I did ‘Heropanti 2’ even if it did not work, but my character was a major one there. It wasn’t as if it was a blink-and-you-miss role in a big film. That is the kind of role I look for in big films now,” he added.