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Nawazuddin Siddiqui

  • Actor
  • Producer
  • Second Unit Director or Assistant Director
IMDbProStarmeterSee rank
Nawazuddin Siddiqui
Watch Teaser [OV]
Play trailer1:38
Costao (2025)
61 Videos
99+ Photos
Nawazuddin Siddiqui (born 1974) is an Indian film actor who has appeared in some of Bollywood's major films including, Black Friday (2004), New York (2009), Peepli Live (2010), Kahani (2012), Gangs of Wasseypur (2012) and Gangs of Wasseypur - Part 2 (2012).

Early life and education

Nawazuddin Siddiqui is from Budhana a small town of Muzaffarnagar district in Uttar Pradesh, where his father is a farmer. [2][3][4] Siddiqui grew up amongst nine siblings, seven brothers and two sisters. [5][2]

After graduating in science from a local college, he worked as a chemist in a petrochemical company for a short while. But boredom set in soon, and he moved to Delhi, here in the next one and a half year period, he started watching plays, while working a watchman at an office. He got associated with Sakshi Theatre Group and worked with actors like Manoj Bajpai and Saurabh Shukla.

Eventually he graduated from the The National School of Drama (NSD), New Delhi in 1996.Now he is a well known actor. Career

After graduating from NSD, he moved to Mumbai. Nawazuddin made his Bollywood debut in 1999, with a small role in Sarfarosh starring Aamir Khan. After moving to Mumbai he tried to get work in television, but did not achieve much success. After his debut, he appeared in short roles, where he remained unnoticed, despite his strong performances. He did a short film, The Bypass in 2003, where he appeared with actor, Irrfan Khan. Between 2002 and 2005, he was out of work, and lived in an apartment where he shared with four others, and struggled through his acting carrier by conducting occasional acting workshops. His appearance in Anurag Kashyap's Black Friday (2007) paved way for other powerful roles. His first lead role in a feature film was in Prashant Bhargava's PATANG, which premiered at the Berlin Film Festival, for which Nawazuddin's performance was praised by the world renowned film critic Roger Ebert (awarding the film 4 stars), a role which 'transformed his acting styles'. In 2009, he appeared in a cameo role in hit song "emotional attyachar" in a movie Dev D, in his moniker as Rangila along with his duo Rasila (known together as Patna ke Presley). However it was his role of a journalist in Aamir Khan Productions's Peepli Live (2010). That movie first got him a recognition as an actor. This was followed by a role as police informer Gopi in biopic, Paan Singh Tomar, directed by Tigmanshu Dhulia, also in the same year.

He, however became a household name post Kahaani (2012), where he played the archetypal short tempered cop Khan. Gangs of Wasseypur followed which furthered his fame. He played his first lead role as Sonu Duggal in Ashim Ahluwalia's Miss Lovely that premiered at the 2012 Cannes Film Festival, a role Nawazuddin describes as his "most real performance so far." Nawazuddin also played a lead role in his following films, Gangs of Wasseypur - Part II and Aatma. He appeared in Aamir Khan's 2012 release, Talash. Gangs of Wasseypur has been touted as a career defining film for Nawazuddin, where he played the role of Faizal Khan, a second son of Sardar Khan, played by Manoj Bajpai. His gaudy style of dress, magnificent accent and out-of-the-way mannerism in Gangs of Wasseypur left an impression on Bollywood critics. His film PATANG, initially released in the U.S. and Canada, garnered much attention for Nawazuddin with rave reviews from the New York Times, Los Angeles Times and Roger Ebert.

Siddiqui is best known for his roles in The Lunchbox (2013), which premiered as part of the International Critics' Week at the 2013 Cannes Film Festival and won him multiple awards, Manto (2018), for which his groundbreaking performance won him Best Actor at the 2018 Asian Pacific Screen Awards[8] and Raman Raghav 2.0 for which he won the Fancine Malaga Award in Spain[9] and in Asia Pacific Screen Awards[10] both in the category of Best Actor. Nawazuddin Siddiqui is the only Actor in the world having 8 films officially selected and screened at the prestigious Cannes Film Festival.[11] Inspite of being very busy with film shoots, Siddiqui continues to take time out to do farming in his native place in Uttar Pradesh (North India).[12] He is an active motivational speaker, drawing on his struggles and experiences to inspire. He stars in two Emmy nominated series, Sacred Games (2019), a two-season Netflix original series for which he was conferred with the GQ - Men of the Year Award 2018 for the second time[13] and United Kingdom's McMafia directed by James Watkins. Recently Nawazuddin Siddiqui was awarded with the highest honorary, The Lesley Ho Asian Film Talent Award at the prestigious Singapore International Film Festival[14] for his globally appreciated series Sacred Games duology.
BornMay 19, 1974
  • More at IMDbPro
    • Contact info
    • Agent info
    • Resume
BornMay 19, 1974
IMDbProStarmeterSee rank
  • View contact info at IMDbPro
    • Awards
      • 42 wins & 71 nominations total

    Photos135

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    Known for

    Salman Khan and Harshaali Malhotra in Bajrangi Bhaijaan (2015)
    Bajrangi Bhaijaan
    8.1
    • Chand Nawab
    • 2015
    Nawazuddin Siddiqui and Varun Dhawan in Badlapur (2015)
    Badlapur
    7.4
    • Liak Tungekar
    • 2015
    Gangs of Wasseypur (2012)
    Gangs of Wasseypur
    8.2
    • Faisal Khan
    • 2012
    Irrfan Khan and Nimrat Kaur in The Lunchbox (2013)
    The Lunchbox
    7.8
    • Shaikh
    • 2013

    Credits

    Edit
    IMDbPro

    Actor



    • Thama
      • In Production
      • 2025
    • Untitled Movie
      • In Production
      • Short
    • The Maya Tape
      • Saurabh Tiwari
      • Completed
    • Black Currency: The Fake Currency Truth Unfolds
      • Completed
    • Untitled Nawazuddin Siddiqui/Faizuddin Siddiqui Project
      • Upendra Nath Rajkhowa
      • In Production
    • Spider
      • Mithu
      • Pre-production
    • Section 108
      • Completed
    • Lion Calling
      • In Production
    • Untitled Manoj Bajpayee/Nawazuddin Siddiqui Project
      • In Production
    • Untitled Ranbir Kapoor/Anurag Basu Project
      • Pre-production



    • Nawazuddin Siddiqui, Kishore Kumar G., Priya Bapat, and Hussain Dalal in Costao (2025)
      Costao
      6.4
      • 2025
    • Nawazuddin Siddiqui and Chitrangada Satarupa in I'm Not an Actor (2025)
      I'm Not an Actor
      • 2025
    • Adbhut (2024)
      Adbhut
      5.2
      TV Movie
      • 2024
    • Pranjal Dahiya and Nawazuddin Siddiqui in Saiyaan Ki Bandook (2024)
      Saiyaan Ki Bandook
      Music Video
      • 2024
    • Nawazuddin Siddiqui in Rautu Ka Raaz (2024)
      Rautu Ka Raaz
      6.3
      • Insp. Deepak Negi
      • 2024
    • Saindhav (2024)
      Saindhav
      5.1
      • Vikas Malik
      • 2024
    • Nawazuddin Siddiqui in Haddi (2023)
      Haddi
      5.5
      • Haddi
      • Harika
      • Heena
      • 2023
    • B Praak: Yaar Ka Sataya Hua Hai
      7.6
      Music Video
      • 2023
    • Nawazuddin Siddiqui and Avneet Kaur in Tiku Weds Sheru (2023)
      Tiku Weds Sheru
      3.4
      • Sheru
      • 2023
    • Jogira Sara Ra Ra (2023)
      Jogira Sara Ra Ra
      6.7
      • Jogi Pratap
      • 2023
    • Afwaah (2023)
      Afwaah
      5.7
      • Rahab Ahmed
      • 2023
    • Sanjay Mishra in Holy Cow (2022)
      Holy Cow
      5.2
      • Guest Appearance
      • 2022
    • Gaiya Kahaan
      Music Video
      • Police
      • 2022
    • Tara Sutaria and Tiger Shroff in Heropanti 2 (2022)
      Heropanti 2
      2.3
      • Laila
      • 2022
    • Sangeen (2021)
      Sangeen
      • 2021

    Producer



    • Nawazuddin Siddiqui and Chitrangada Satarupa in I'm Not an Actor (2025)
      I'm Not an Actor
      • producer
      • 2025
    • No Land's Man (2021)
      No Land's Man
      8.2
      • producer
      • 2021
    • Gulabi! (2018)
      Gulabi!
      Short
      • co-producer
      • 2018
    • In Relationship with (2018)
      In Relationship with
      Short
      • producer
      • 2018
    • The Date (2018)
      The Date
      Short
      • producer
      • 2018

    Second Unit or Assistant Director



    • Kamal Haasan in Hey Ram (2000)
      Hey Ram
      8.0
      • second assistant director
      • 2000

    • In-development projects at IMDbPro

    Videos61

    Raat Akeli Hai Cast Breaks Down The Film Noir Elements | IMDb Exclusive
    Clip 2:31
    Raat Akeli Hai Cast Breaks Down The Film Noir Elements | IMDb Exclusive
    Official Teaser
    Clip 1:00
    Official Teaser
    Official Teaser
    Clip 1:00
    Official Teaser
    Nawazuddin Siddiqui on His Favorite Performances
    Clip 4:34
    Nawazuddin Siddiqui on His Favorite Performances
    Lion
    Clip 0:35
    Lion
    Lion
    Clip 0:54
    Lion
    'Manto' Director Nandita Das Recalls Cannes Story About Salma Hayek
    Interview 1:09
    'Manto' Director Nandita Das Recalls Cannes Story About Salma Hayek

    Personal details

    Edit
    • Official sites
      • Nawazuddin Siddiqui Brand Endorsement Enquiry - Celewish
      • The Official Website
    • Alternative names
      • Nawazuddin
    • Height
      • 5′ 2″ (1.57 m)
    • Born
      • May 19, 1974
      • Budhana, Muzaffarnagar, Uttar Pradesh, India
    • Spouse
      • Aaliya Siddiqui(2 children)
    • Children
        Shora Siddiqui
    • Parents
        Mehroonisa Siddiqui
    • Relatives
      • Faizuddin Siddiqui(Sibling)

    Did you know

    Edit
    • Trivia
      Younger brother, Shamaas Nawab Siddiqui, is a director.
    • Trademarks
        Distinctive voice tone ranges from soft mellow to harsh and raspy

    FAQ

    Powered by Alexa
    • How old is Nawazuddin Siddiqui?
      51 years old
    • When was Nawazuddin Siddiqui born?
      May 19, 1974
    • Where was Nawazuddin Siddiqui born?
      Budhana, Muzaffarnagar, Uttar Pradesh, India
    • How tall is Nawazuddin Siddiqui?
      5 feet 2 inches, or 1.57 meters
    • What is Nawazuddin Siddiqui known for?
      Gangs of Wasseypur, The Lunchbox, Badlapur, and Bajrangi Bhaijaan

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