For years, Nawazuddin Siddiqui was the actor audiences noticed in smaller roles before he became one of Hindi cinema’s most recognisable performers. But according to the actor, it was Gangs of Wasseypur 2 that changed the trajectory of his career. Playing Faizal Khan in Anurag Kashyap’s 2012 crime drama brought Nawazuddin a wave of attention and suddenly, the industry wanted more of him.
Nawazuddin Siddiqui got 200 scripts after GOW 2
In a recent conversation with NDTV, Nawazuddin was asked which film made him feel like a star. His answer was immediate, “Of course, it has to be Gangs of Wasseypur 2.” The actor then recalled just how dramatically his professional life changed following the film’s release.
“After the release of Gangs of Wasseypur 2, I received at least 200 scripts. Blank cheques were lying on my table,” Nawazuddin recalled. He said filmmakers would approach him with both a script and a blank cheque, leaving him to decide his remuneration. “People would say, ‘Here’s the script, and here’s a blank cheque. Write whatever amount you want and give us whatever dates are available,’” he said.
For an actor who had spent years waiting for substantial opportunities, it was a remarkable turnaround. Yet Nawazuddin wasn’t tempted to simply sign films because the offers were lucrative or plentiful. In fact, he rejected every single script that came his way during that period.
Why Nawazuddin Siddiqui waited for the right film
Nawazuddin admitted that none of the scripts convinced him enough to commit. “I didn’t pick up a single one of those scripts because I didn’t like any of them. I decided I would wait for the right one,” he said. The decision meant turning down an opportunity many actors might have considered impossible to refuse.
“I was already used to waiting for work for years, so I thought I could wait another two or three years rather than sign something in haste,” he recalled. Fortunately, that wait did not last long. “By God’s grace, I didn’t have to wait too long, because I soon started getting some really good films,” he added.
Released in 2012, Gangs of Wasseypur 2 formed the second half of Anurag Kashyap’s sprawling crime saga set against the coal mafia backdrop of Dhanbad. With Nawazuddin’s Faizal Khan emerging as one of its memorable characters, the film became a major turning point for the actor and helped establish him as a leading name in Hindi cinema.