‘Where did people’s education go?': Nawazuddin Siddiqui calls out ‘extreme phase' of paid negative PR trend in Bollywood

Nawazuddin Siddiqui discussed the troubling trend of paid negative PR in Bollywood, emphasising that actors should focus on their craft.

Paid negative PR has increasingly become a noticeable trend in Bollywood, especially in the age of social media, where narratives can be shaped within minutes. In a recent interview with Zoom, Nawazuddin Siddiqui spoke about actors engaging in paid negative PR against one another.

Nawazuddin Siddiqui talks about Paid PR in Bollywood.

Nawazuddin Siddiqui talked about the growing trend of paid negative PR

Nawaz explained that the only thing within an actor’s control is their performance, but how far it reaches is not in their hands. He also spoke about promotions, stating that without them, people might not even recognise him in real life, as he prefers to stay away from the limelight.

He further reflected on the growing culture of paid negativity in the industry and said, “This phase is at a full extreme. Much more is left to be seen, and that too is going to happen in this phase only. So this is a strange world. I think this will remain for some time. After that, they say when bad times come, there are bad times for everything. For creativity, too, it is bad. Maybe after some years, a good time will come. People will start recognising the right things without any meaningless hatred.”

Nawazuddin added, “After some years, people may understand who is what, what is truth, what is a lie, on their own. I did not know that this phase would become so cheap for people that if I give money to 10 people and tell them to say he is a good actor, people will start believing it. Where did their own education go? Where did their ability to understand go? Yes, if I give money to 10 people and tell them you are very good, then the eleventh one himself will say it. This is weird.” He added that actors like him do not need such tactics, as they have confidence in their craft and work.

Earlier this year, when Border 2 was gearing up for release, Varun Dhawan faced criticism over his smile and performance based solely on the teaser. Later, an influencer claimed that several social media users were allegedly paid to speak against him. The film’s producer, Nidhi Dutta, had also criticised the trend of paid negative PR targeting the actor.

About Nawazuddin Siddiqui’s upcoming film

Helmed by Aditya Kripalani, Main Actor Nahin Hoon stars Nawazuddin Siddiqui alongside Chitrangada Singh in the lead roles. The story follows a struggling actor in Mumbai who connects with a retired banker based in Frankfurt through online acting sessions. As their interactions deepen, the two confront personal struggles, emotional challenges and cultural differences, forming an unexpected bond across continents. The film is scheduled to release in theatres on May 8.