Nawazuddin Siddiqui is an actor who has worked with all three Khans of Bollywood. Recently, at the launch of music video 'Yanta', the actor shared his experience of working with all three Khans of Bollywood. He said that Shah Rukh Khan is an amazing mimicry artist. During the shooting of the film 'Raees', when he imitated producer-director Vidhu Vinod Chopra, it felt like Vidhu Vinod Chopra had arrived. What else did Nawazuddin Siddiqui say during an exclusive conversation with Frontpage Insights? Read some exclusive excerpts from the conversation…
You were first seen dancing in the music video 'Yanta'. What kind of preparations had to be made for the dance?
Look, I'm not a dancer at all. Choreographer Amit Sial taught me some steps before shooting the song. I forgot everything when I got to the set. Choreographer and co-actor and singer Renuka Panwar had a good support system during the shoot. Somehow I managed to dance. This was the first time I enjoyed dancing while shooting. 'Yanta' means fun. This music video also has fun dancing.
Who do you think is the best dancer in Bollywood?
According to me, Amitabh Bachchan and Govinda are very good dancers. The specialty of his dance is that he dances in such a way that even I can dance watching him. There are other good dancers in Bollywood, but I can't dance like them, so I have no interest in them.
How do you find time for music videos in your busy schedule?
When I first heard the song 'Yanta' I couldn't stop myself. This is a very rhythmic song. People remember music for a long time. The music gets millions of views. Not that many people watch movies.
If we look at the big stars of the past, music has played a huge role in their growth. When we remember Dev Anand and Dilip Kumar Sahib, we remember the songs filmed on them before their films.
When the songs filmed on Dev Anand and Dilip Kumar were played, it was revealed which singer had given the voice. Who can be your voice as a singer today?
Now times have changed a lot. This change is probably due to today's musicians and singers. Today people are not focused on which singer's voice can suit which star. Singers today are known for their voices. Just look at Diljit Dosanjh, he is known for his voice. He has a very strong fan following.
If you get a chance to sing, will you sing?
I am a very bad singer. I can't sing at all. I have very good ears and listen to good songs. I like listening to all kinds of songs. If someone's voice has charm, it attracts me. Although all the singers are in the same tune, some have a different flavor in their singing.
You are an actor who has worked with all three Khans of Bollywood. Share some special things related to them. Let's start with Aamir Khan?
I did my first film 'Sarfarosh' with Aamir Khan. After this he made the film 'Peepli Live'. The subject of that film was very artistic. At that time no one was touching such a subject, but Aamir Sahib made that film. It was a big deal for us. What makes him special is that he has a very good understanding of the script and how the audience will see the film.
What do you want to say about Shah Rukh and Salman Khan?
The special thing about Shah Rukh Khan sir is that he rehearses a lot before shooting. He is a very hard working actor. Salman bhai is a lot of fun to work with. He used to give me his dialogues in advance to speak.
Any special story while shooting with Shah Rukh Khan?
We were shooting for 'Raees' in Gujarat. We sat once in the night. He imitates Vidhu Vinod Chopra very well. He is an amazing mimicry artist. When he imitated Vidhu Vinod Chopra, I thought he was speaking.
Image Credit: (Divya-Bhaskar): Images/graphics belong to (Divya-Bhaskar).
