At a time when Bollywood was obsessed with conventional looks and Greek god-like physiques for their heroes, Nawazudding Siddiqui stood out as a character actor breaking out in the mainstream. Siddiqui’s heavily diverse career on film and streaming series is documented in this essential watchlist of his best works along with a handy guide to stream them all.
Big Movies, Small Roles: Nawazuddin Siddiqui’s Origins
Starting out as a chemist in Gujarat, a young Siddiqui made the move to Delhi for more artistic prospects. After a stint in theatre, he finally made it to Delhi’s prestigious and extremely competitive National School of Drama. But after graduating from NSD, Siddiqui struggled with brief blink-and-miss appearances.
So, if you watch Aamir Khan’s acclaimed cop thriller Sarfarosh, you can find him as a cowardly suspect or you can find him playing a pickpocketer in the medical comedy Munnabhai MBBS. Siddiqui had to wait for a few more years till he would get his big breakthrough.
Faizal, Gaitonde and Psycho Raman: Breakout with Anurag Kashyap Collaborations
The director Anurag Kashyap helmed some watershed moments in Siddiqui’s career starting with his terrorism-focused neo-noir Black Friday in which he played a gangster’s secretary. But despite Black Friday’s immense acclaim, Siddiqui got his big break ever since he played the charismatic, smart-mouthed gangster Faizal in Kashyap’s acclaimed two-part crime epic Gangs of Wasseypur.
Showcasing his abilities to play morally grey miscreants on screen, Siddiqui took on more villainous lead characters with Kashyap’s psychological thriller Raman Raghav 2.0 (screened at Cannes and global markets as Psycho Raman) and the first-ever Netflix original series Sacred Games (directed by Kashyap and Vikramaditya Motwane). While Siddiqui played the titular psychotic serial killer in the former, the latter found him playing ruthless Mumbai gangster Ganesh Gaitonde, a staple in modern Indian pop culture.
Continuing Dominance with Supporting Roles
Occasionally, Siddiqui has excelled as a lead actor as is evident from the aforementioned Sacred Games. Even after the Netflix show’s success, he held his own playing the titular Pakistani author and activist in Manto, and a morally-broken policeman in the whodunit Raat Akeli Hai.
At the same time, some of Siddiqui's finest performances are his supporting roles. A prominent example is his earnest portrayal of the overly friendly Pakistani journalist Chand Nawab in Bajrangi Bhaijaan, a drama in which his performance arguably overshadowed even that of leading man Salman Khan. One can watch Siddiqui’s other prominent supporting performances in thrillers like Kahaani, Talaash, and Monsoon Shootout.
Why is Sacred Games Nawazuddin Siddiqui’s best work?
Gangs of Wasseypur Part 2 can be crowned as Nawazuddin Siddiqui’s best movie for it simultaneously showcases his emotional range and comic timing. But his arc of a gangster on the rise is explored with even more impact in Sacred Games. With two seasons and even an International Emmy nomination for Siddiqui, this timeless Netflix classic that charts the rags-to-riches story of gangster Ganesh Gaitonde in the backdrop of a national terror conspiracy.
Siddiqui is synonymous with Gaitonde now as he effortlessly captured the character’s grueling journey with deadpan humour and a straight-faced ruthlessness. Apart from his lead performance, Sacred Games also stands out with committed acts by co-stars like Saif Ali Khan and Pankaj Tripathi along with a poignant screenplay that delves into religious heresy and communal tensions of the country.
Where can you stream Nawazuddin Siddiqui’s filmography?
A lot of Nawazuddin Siddiqui’s recent works are exclusive releases on OTT platforms like Netflix, Prime Video, and ZEE5. Most of his other theatrical releases are available on the same platforms along with Jio Cinema, Eros Now and more.
