Nawazuddin Siddiqui hits out at theatre monopolisation, says even films about 'cats & dogs' can't flop in 4500 screens

Nawazuddin Siddiqui has a problem with big films monopolising theatres, which affects him and a 1000 actors like him.

Actor Nawazuddin Siddiqui hit out at ‘big films’ monopolising theatres and killing smaller films before they get a chance to prove their worth. He said that even a film about ‘cats and dogs’ will make crores if it is released in over 4500 screens.

Actor Nawazuddin Siddiqui scored an International EMMY nod for his performance in the Netflix film Serious Men.

In an interview, Nawaz said that thanks to streaming platforms, the work that he has been doing has been exposed to a global audience. Nawaz was recently nominated for an International EMMY award for his performance in Sudhir Mishra's Serious Men.

He told Bollywood Hungama, “At the end of the day, your choices define you. Flops don't matter, what matters is screen count. If someone monopolises 4500 screens and doesn't allow any other film to run, then even a film about cats and dogs will make ₹20-30 crores. This is a fact. It is very important to understand that if a film is released in over 4500 screens – regardless of whose film it is – it will make ₹20-30-40 crore.”

When it was pointed out to Nawaz that these days international content from countries such as South Korea and Spain is a big hit with Indian audiences, the actor said, “We've been making content like this from the very beginning. The only difference is that me and a 1000 other actors like me weren't given the screen space. Big films used to come and monopolise the environment. And when our work was exposed to a global audience through OTT, they realised our worth.”

After a series of supporting roles, Nawaz broke onto the scene with Anurag Kashyap's Gangs of Wasseypur Part II. He has since appeared in films as diverse as Bajrangi Bhaijaan and Manto. On streaming, the actor starred as the gangster Ganesh Gaitonde in Sacred Games, and appeared in the detective thriller Raat Akeli Hai. He is currently filming Heropanti 2, starring Tiger Shroff.