Nawazuddin Siddiqui says he ‘wept bitterly’ after Kamal Haasan removed his role from Hey Ram, was consoled by Shruti

Actor Nawazuddin Siddiqui has said that when his role was axed from Kamal Haasan’s Hey Ram, he wept bitterly and had to be consoled by Kamal’s daughter, Shruti Haasan.

Actor Nawazuddin Siddiqui has recalled the time when he was axed from Kamal Haasan’s Hey Ram, and how distraught he was about it. Nawaz said that Kamal’s daughter, Shruti, consoled him.

Nawazuddin Siddiqui has recalled an incident from his days as a struggling actor.

He said that although there have been many such instances from his earliest days in the film industry when his roles were removed from projects, Hey Ram hurt the most because of how much he respected Kamal.

He told SpotboyE in an interview, “There were many incidents when I did small roles and then the role was edited out. But the one incident that stays with me involves one of my idols Kamal Haasan. I was his Hindi dialogue coach on his film Hey Ram (2000) which he directed and also played the lead. When Kamalji offered me a small role in Hey Ram I was as excited as a child. He is one of my idols alongside Dilip Kumar, Naseeruddin Shah, Anthony Hopkins and Denzel Washington. I’ve seen each and every film of theirs repeatedly.”

Describing his role, Nawaz continued, “It was actually a substantial role. I was supposed to be this victim of a mob attack whom Kamalji rescues.I was excited about this opportunity to share screen space with my idol.” But when the role was removed from the final film, Nawaz said he ‘wept bitterly’ and remembers Shruti consoling him. But, the actor said, he holds no ill will. “How could I be resentful? Kamalji is such a complete artiste with his knowledge stretching far beyond.Unka toh mujhe naam bhil lene mein hichkichaahat hoti hai (I hesitate to even say his name).”

Nawaz appeared in small roles in Aamir Khan’s Sarfarosh and Sanjay Dutt’s Munna Bhai MBBS, before breaking out with Anurag Kashyap’s Gangs of Wasseypur.

Nawaz has had back-to-back streaming releases this year. He appeared in the long-delayed Ghoomketu, Honey Trehan’s murder mystery Raat Akeli Hai, and Sudhir Mishra’s Serious Men.

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