Nawazuddin on Rejection, Fame, Money, Loneliness & Reality of Bollywood | FO429 Raj Shamani

Nov 6, 2025

Nawazuddin Siddiqui, the acclaimed Indian actor known for his compelling roles in both independent and mainstream cinema, dives deep into his life experiences. He candidly discusses facing rejection and the emotional scars of childhood bullying. His unique approach to method acting and the psychological challenges it presents is fascinating. Nawazuddin shares personal anecdotes about family relationships, particularly with his mother, highlighting immense sacrifices. He reflects on the price of fame, the essence of creativity, and the importance of humility in his artistic journey.

01:48:32

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INSIGHT

Protect Time To Accelerate Growth

Nawazuddin values time and deliberately avoids wasting it, preferring films and reading that push him to grow.
He measures progress by small daily gains and protects focused hours for craft and learning.

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ANECDOTE

Bullied Childhood Shaped Resilience

Nawazuddin recounts being bullied as a child during cricket and school, which left deep emotional scars.
Those moments shaped his sense of being alone and his early resilience.

question_answer

ANECDOTE

Father's Failure Fueled Drive

He describes a difficult relationship with his father and the pressure to compensate for his father's failures.
That pressure disciplined him to work hard and avoid repeating the same mistakes.

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Nawazuddin on Laziness, Time Use and Film Preferences

00:58 • 5min

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Being Comfortable Alone and Childhood Solitude

06:28 • 2min

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Bullying and Early School Experiences

08:40 • 2min

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Relationship with His Father and Compensating for Failure

10:28 • 4min

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Relationship with His Mother and Emotional Struggles

14:54 • 3min

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Daily Habits and Passing Traits to Children

17:49 • 3min

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Friendships, Village Life and Changing Perspectives

20:30 • 3min

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Society, Insecurity and Judgement

23:31 • 1min

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On Characters and Authentic Acting

24:35 • 4min

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Promotions, Public Image and Misunderstandings

28:37 • 3min

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Marriage, Relationships and Creative Focus

31:23 • 8min

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Comfort Zones, Overconfidence and Continual Growth

39:15 • 1min

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Creating a Memorable Scene: Process and Visualization

40:35 • 4min

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Admiration for Irrfan and Craft over Characterisation

44:27 • 2min

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The Vastness of Acting and Continual Learning

46:40 • 1min

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Crying, Emotional Vulnerability and Performances

47:59 • 3min

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Success: Advantages, Price and Desires

50:49 • 2min

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Fears, Mortality and Being Misunderstood

Misunderstandings about Attitude and Personal Encounters

01:03:26 • 8min

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Immersion, Third Eye Awareness and Risk of Roles

01:11:27 • 42sec

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Preparing for Raman Raghav and Physical Consequences

01:12:09 • 1min

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Taking Character to Life: Responsibility and Choices

01:13:33 • 3min

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Belief, Doubt and Trusting the Process

01:16:40 • 3min

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Method Acting, Mood and Maintaining Awareness

01:19:20 • 56sec

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Regrets Over Project Choices and Financial Outcomes

01:20:16 • 4min

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Lowest Point: 2012 Struggles and Financial Hardship

01:24:33 • 9min

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Recognition, Returning Home and Family Reactions

01:33:12 • 3min

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Humiliating Roles Turned Valuable

01:36:41 • 2min

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Auditions, Humility and Never Claiming a Job

01:38:20 • 4min

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Who Sacrificed Most: His Mother

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Here’s your timestamp list with parentheses added:

(00:00) - Intro
(03:16) - Nawaz on Wasting Time & Being Bullied
(10:27) - His Relationship with His Father
(13:16) - His Father’s Bad Habit
(14:53) - His Relationship with His Mother
(17:39) - Worst Habits of Nawaz & Friends
(21:43) - Nawaz on Lying & Society
(28:56) - Thoughts on Rejection & Marriage
(33:50) - Ever Lost Control in Life?
(34:37) - Bhaang Story
(37:24) - Does He Still Find Work Challenging?
(40:06) - Raj’s Favorite Scene
(44:25) - His Views on Irrfan Khan
(48:02) - Crying & Fame
(52:05) - Insecurities & Misunderstandings
(56:23) - Nonsense Story He’s Heard About Himself
(1:03:19) - When He Felt Inferior in a Room
(1:09:23) - Unmasking Power & Method Acting
(1:19:49) - Doing Roles for Money & Anger
(1:24:33) - Lowest Point in His Life
(1:26:36) - Su*cidal Thoughts
(1:29:36) - Childhood TV Story & Proud Father Moment
(1:35:13) - Biggest Mistake & Humiliating Moment
(1:39:15) - “I Never Ask for Work”
(1:42:24) - Who Sacrificed the Most in His Life
(1:44:02) - Closing Thoughts
(1:46:43) - BTS
(1:47:39) - Outro

In today’s episode, we have one of India’s most powerful performers, Nawazuddin Siddiqui. He says he never came to become a star, he just simply wanted to act.

We talked about his childhood being bullied for his colour, growing up with an honest father who failed at many things in life but lived by one rule: don’t lie. He tells us how those early experiences shaped how he sees truth, failure, and success today.

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Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/nawazuddin._siddiqui

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