‘What Are You Doing?’: Nawazuddin Siddiqui Recalls Being Scolded By Anurag Kashyap For This

We all know the renowned ‘Faisal Khan’ from Gangs of Wasseypur — however, the character was not at all close to how Nawazuddin Siddiqui portrayed in the beginning. In an interview, Siddiqui, who starred in Anurag Kashyap’s film, revealed that he didn’t pull off Faisal Khan’s character the way it was supposed to be from the get-go. For the same, he recalled how Kashyap went ahead and scolded him and how the entire day’s shoot was redone.

Siddiqui to Al Pacino on Day 1

In a podcast with Shubhankar Mishra, Nawazuddin Siddiqui shared that he was convinced to join the film after reading a concise plot summary. He was deeply committed to the role, admitting that he unintentionally began mimicking Al Pacino’s mannerisms over time.

“Slowly, I started behaving like Al Pacino. On the first day of shooting, I was full of Al Pacino. Full on. That’s how I was behaving,” he said. Later that evening, while they were staying at a small hotel in Varanasi, Anurag Kashyap had a private conversation with Nawaz about his performance.

Anurag Kashyap scolded Nawazuddin Siddiqui

Nawazuddin Siddiqui recalled that Anurag Kashyap confronted him about his acting, questioning and criticising it as overacting. The actor shared, “He said, ‘Yeh kya kar raha hai tu? Tu pagal hai kya? Kis tarah se kar raha hai tu? Overacting kyu kar raha hai?” (What in the world are you doing? Have you lost your mind? Why are you overacting?)

Nawazuddin admitted feeling shocked and dismayed by the feedback. He revealed that the entire day’s shoot had to be redone, and he subsequently toned down his portrayal.

Gangs of Wasseypur- the film

The two-part film Gangs of Wasseypur not only catapulted Nawazuddin Siddiqui to stardom but also spotlighted several actors who later became prominent in the film industry. The movie has since gained a cult following for various reasons. It broke away from the typical protagonist mould by featuring a more relatable and grounded storyline.

The authentic language used in the film resonated strongly with audiences. While not glorifying violence, it effectively depicted the gritty reality of gangster life. The memorable characters, engaging plot, and sharp dialogue left a lasting impact on viewers.