6 Times Nawazuddin Siddiqui Stole The Show From Superstars of Bollywood!

Nawazuddin Siddiqui is one of those rare actors who you wholeheartedly want to succeed despite all his success. Sure, the Khans and Bachchans have masses behind them, packing the theatres for their every movie. But the topic is not fandom here. It’s admiration—and a few command it like Siddiqui these days.

Despite showcasing his unparalleled talent over and over again, it still sometimes feels that he is an odd choice for a lot of filmmakers. It might be because of his unconventional looks or the fact that he is isn’t related to a Bollywood family.

And that is why he usually isn’t cast as the main lead for most of his films. He is given a small or a supporting role opposite a certified star like Salman or Shah Rukh and he has that limited window to perform.

But when the ability is that much, it’s impossible to suppress, no matter the size of the role or the stature of the actor in the film.

Here are the times when Nawazuddin Siddiqui outshone the biggest of stars:    

Talaash 

Being in a film that has Aamir Khan in it can be a daunting thing. The perfectionist actor doesn’t rush to decide on a role and when he does, it is almost a certainty that both the film and the performance are going to be top-notch. But to upstage him then, it would require something special. And that’s exactly what Nawazuddin did when he played the role of Tehmur ‘the pimp’.

The Lunchbox

One of the most globally acclaimed films India has ever produced was full of astute performances. Nawazzudin’s performance in the supporting role of incompetent yet lovable Shaikh was highly appreciated. When he was on screen, he even surpassed someone like Irrfan Khan. 

Bombay Talkies

To celebrate 100 years of Indian cinema, four acclaimed directors – Anurag Kashyap, Dibakar Banerjee, Zoya Akhtar and Karan Johar – came together to make  the anthology film Bombay Talkies. The film that consisted four parts, each made by one of the directors, also had a number of acclaimed actors like Rani Mukherji, Randeep Hooda, Ranveer Shorey along with cameos from stars like Shah Rukh Khan, Amitabh Bachchan and Priyanka Chopra to name a few. But what caught the eye of many was Nawazuddin’s performance as a struggling actor in Dibakar Banerjee’s segment Star.

Badlapur

Granted Varun Dhawan isn’t exactly an experienced powerhouse actor. But people who have been analysing him, recognise his talent and he certainly belongs to the A-list category that he has been put in. But when his Raghu starred opposite Nawazuddin Siddiqui' Laik in this stylish revenge flick, one could also recognise how far off he is from acting perfection.

Kahaani 

Vidya Balan is one of the best actors in the country. Not in Bollywood, not among female actors but one of the best actors, period. In Kahaani, she was her usual fabulous self, playing her role as an aggrieving widow without a single artificial note. But Nawazudin’s performance as the foul-mouthed cop was utterly convincing and gave this mystery-thriller a much-needed kick.

Bajrangi Bhaijaan

One of the highest grossing movies of Bollywood naturally had someone like Salman Khan as its lead. But surprisingly, the best element of the film was Nawazuddin Siddiqui’s performance as a desperate Pakistani journalist. He was so good in his scenes that he took attention away from the film’s mega-star, which is so much easier said than done.

It is easy to forget the years and years of struggle that Nawazuddin Siddiqui went through. From faling to pay his rent in his early days in Mumbai to playing minor roles in Aamir Khan's Sarfarosh and Sunjay Dutt's Munnabhai MBBS to years without gaining any recognition for his roles. And then suddenly we all started seeing him for the Boss he so truly is.