Nawazuddin Siddiqui On Alleged Rivalry With Irrfan Khan, Says He Recommended Him For Films: How Can I Be His Competitor?

Irrfan Khan’s death is a big loss for world cinema and millions of the actor's fans and his co-stars and colleagues in Bollywood and Hollywood grieve his death. Those who knew the actor through personal association or work are devastated, particularly his Lunchbox co-star Nawazuddin Siddiqui.

Irffan Khan was an actor par excellence and while there could be no greater compliment for an actor to be touted as his competitor Nawazuddin Siddiqui doesn’t believe that they were rivals or even competitors being years his junior.

In a chat with Time Of India, Nawazuddin Siddiqui debunked this myth sharing several experiences from his career that proved that he had utmost regard, adoration and respect for Irrfan and how he had helped his career to actually take off.

The Sacred Games actor shared the lesser known fact that he first faced the camera as a lead actor in Irrfan Khan’s directorial debut called Alvida in 2000. Absolutely in awe of the star Nawaz recalls how he picked him as the lead and for the hour long project he did for BBC and had he chosen to direct more he’d be equally successful at that too.

Irrfan Khan also introduced him to Danny Boyle the Hollywood filmmaker when he was casting for Slumdog Millionaire and recommended him for films. The Raees actor in fact assisted him on a short film too in 2006 and gave cues from behind the camera instead of just behind his co-star in 'Irrfan Auditions for a Hollywood Film Role'. "It was thus odd to hear stories of our alleged tiff. Irrfan recommended me for films. How can I be his competitor or rival! Irrfan ki jagah koi nahi le sakta. There’s no one like him," he told the publication.

Nawazuddin, in fact, had faith enough to jump off a building just at Irrfan’s reassurance for a scene. “I particularly remember this scene in New York, where I was supposed to jump from a skyscraper. It was from 12th or 15th floor. I got cold feet despite the harness and safety measures. I looked down and saw Irrfan standing below. When he heard I was frozen with fear on top, he came up and told me, ‘Don’t think. Just jump. You are safe.’ I actually didn’t overthink after that. I jumped. He gave me confidence, not just during that scene but in my career as well.”

The news of Irrfan’s passing definitely hit Nawazuddin Siddiqui hard and he has lost a mentor and an elder brother the actor said he never imagined even in his worst dreams that they’d have to part so soon.