Nawazuddin Siddiqui on actors facing discrimination due to looks: ‘Did anyone make ₹20-30 crore film with Irrfan Khan?’

Nawazuddin Siddiqui said in India, there are categories for actors such as “hero, star, superstar”. He added that great actors are seen in smaller roles.

Actor Nawazuddin Siddiqui has shared his opinion on whether he thinks it's the failure of the entertainment industry for not trusting actors "who don’t fit its stereotype of how a hero should look". Speaking with Mid-Day, Nawazuddin spoke about late Irrfan Khan, Manoj Bajpayee, Naseeruddin Shah and Om Puri, asking if anyone ever made a ₹20-30 crore film with them. (Also Read | Costao trailer: ‘Honest customs officer’ Nawazuddin Siddiqui is accused of murder, fights battle against corrupt system)

Nawazuddin Siddiqui talks about actors being differentiated

Nawazuddin Siddiqui is known for films such as Gangs of Wasseypur, Badlapur, Kick and Bajrangi Bhaijaan.

Nawazuddin said "no one ever made a big film with" these actors. “We are seeing what’s happening to the films that are coming nowadays with new actors. The problem is, whether it was Irrfan [Khan] bhai, or Manoj [Bajpayee], Naseeruddin [Shah] saab or Om Puri saab, has anyone ever made a film with them worth ₹20-30 crore? Today, you shower praise at them and call them great actors, but no one ever made a big film with them. It happens only here," he said.

Talking about the entertainment industry outside India, he said actors are cast based on their skills, not looks. "Internationally, they don’t differentiate between actors. They just cast a good actor. Here, we have categories like actor, hero, star, superstar. We have such great actors among us, you will spot them in movies or series in smaller roles. They aren’t supporting actors. They are great actors. Yet no one thought of making a film with them. And maybe no one ever will. We will be gone one day, but this will go on,” he added.

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