‘Mimicking someone is the lowest form of performance’

Actor Nawazuddin Siddiqui believes in the importance of training. A graduate of the National School of Drama (NSD), he recalled how the presence of trained theatre actors in his Emmy-nominated series ‘Sacred Games’ helped elevate the show’s overall quality.

It’s this same philosophy that guides his expectations for his daughter, Shora, who aspires to become an actor. He insists that she first undergo proper theatre training.

Nawazuddin is now set to return to the web space six years after ‘Sacred Games 2’ and also stepping into the Indian adaptation of the acclaimed American medical drama ‘House M.D.’, where he will take on the role originally played by Hugh Laurie. For now, he’s content with how audiences have accepted his portrayal of Costao, an upright customs officer caught in corruption, in his latest web original.

Excerpts from a conversation with Millennium Post:

The last time we saw you was as a cop in ‘Rautu Ka Raaz’ and now you’re playing a customs officer in ‘Costao’. Do you feel drawn to uniform roles?

Of course, there’s a certain authority that comes with a uniform. But honestly, it’s up to the directors. They see me in these roles - sometimes wearing a gangster’s look, sometimes a cop’s and sometimes a smuggler. People have seen me in a diverse range of characters and I’m glad that no one has tried to limit my personality. This reflects a shift in perception. Today, if I say I want to play the richest man in India, directors are more likely to consider me based on my personality. Earlier, only conventionally good-looking men were cast in those roles. But now people are aware of reality… Look at Ambani or Adani. They’re rich, but not necessarily ‘heroic-looking’. Audiences have become more accepting of what wealth or power looks like in real life.

Costao Fernandes is a real-life character. You have earlier played real-life characters in ‘Thackeray’, ‘Manjhi: The Mountain Man’ and ‘Manto’. How do you prepare for such roles?

I never copy a real-life person. Mimicking someone is, to me, the lowest form of performance. What’s more meaningful is to connect with their thought process, their attitude or their inner world. Take Costao, for example. His attitude closely mirrors mine. And if you watch Costao’s climax, where he’s confronting his guilt… It is the heart of the film. We didn’t add sensationalism. We focused on making a simple, honest film. That’s rare in today’s trend.

You say this is the opposite of what’s happening in today’s cinema. What exactly is happening now?

Today’s films tend to build everything up to the climax. The climax is made loud and dramatic, designed to shock or impress. But our film ends with a man sitting quietly by a grave, confessing. I don’t know how many will remember that scene, but we tried to keep it truthful and restrained.

Box office pressure always exists for films. But nowadays, it feels like there’s pressure even on OTT content. Do you agree?

You’re absolutely right. Some OTT platforms - not all, but some - seem to be following that trend. Where that pressure comes from, I don’t know. But I believe it comes down to sensibility. It depends a lot on the people sitting in charge - the kind of content they like and what their preferences are. When we did ‘Sacred Games’ (2018), it was the first of its kind on OTT and we worked with complete honesty and passion, just as we would on a film. We didn’t even think of it as a web series back then. And the result? It was nominated internationally and it was watched across the globe. In Brazil, Mexico…. There's a massive fan base for ‘Sacred Games’. This is because it was rooted in our local culture. We had Indian-looking actors with real theatre-trained talent. Can you believe it? Every single actor was trained. Even if your content is good, if the acting isn’t strong, it all feels mediocre. Only a trained actor can do justice to a well-written story.

At the premiere of ‘Costao’, we saw your daughter, Shora, with you. She also aspires to become an actor. Do you feel she’s under pressure?

Well, my own process involved rigorous training and I want the same for her. I’m a trained actor and I believe in the importance of proper preparation. So, I want her to go to drama school, do theatre and then come into the industry. She’s already begun that journey. She recently went to London and completed five or six theatre workshops. After returning to Mumbai, she did a 15-day workshop there too. When she’s a bit older, I’ll enroll her in a proper theatre school. She’ll undergo full theatre training. As a father, I’ll support her, of course, but only once she’s trained because training is crucial.

These days, actors are often cast based on their ‘Instagram’ following.

This trend exists because of the way films and series are currently made. Platforms are chasing influencers with big followings, hoping to drive up viewership. But this stems from shallow content.

The quality of acting in Indian films is still mediocre. If we raise our standards, both in writing and in performance, then we should cast actors who are trained and capable of making a real impact.

But when content is shallow and acting is average, producers will naturally lean toward influencers, regardless of their acting ability.

On Indian adaptation of ‘House M.D’

You’re working on the Indian adaptation of the American medical drama series ‘House M.D’. Excited?

It’s a massive project. Shooting will begin in about 10-12 days and I’ve already started my preparation. I’ve been a big fan of ‘House’ myself, so it’s both exciting and challenging to bring that to Indian audiences.