Nawaz Calling Kalki

If there is one actor in the past few years who has managed to make a transition from being on the sidelines to the centre of attention, it has to be Nawazuddin Siddiqui. And, if there is one actress who has maintained the perfect balance between commercial films and indie cinema, it’s Kalki Koechlin. We thought it would be a great idea to bring them together to discuss cinema, their preparation processes for roles and to talk about the most challenging on-screen experiences they have had.

- Jigar Shah

In conversation with Nawazuddin Siddiqui

How much time did it take you to become Ganesh Gaitonde again?

When you are doing something for the first time… it takesyou time to find the right rhythm for your character. But, the second time around, it was not that difficult because here you know the spine and the base of your character and then you do what is required of you in the scene. For Ganesh Gaitonde, when we were doing the first season, we very innocently went ahead with our work. But there was equal possibility of becoming over-confident the second time around and that is a very dangerous space to be in. So, our plan was to start from scratch, though we knew the basic essence of the character, there will be new situations which will have different reactions. Also, there are new characters, who are joining the cast of the show, they bring in new energy, new reactions and their own charm.

Your dialogue from season one, Kabhi kabhi lagta hai apun hi bhagwan hai was at one point the most read message on t-shirts. Have you ever worn that t-shirt?

I have never worn a t-shirt in my life. On most occasions, we are so unaware which dialogue will get love from the audience. In fact, the ‘Kabhi Kabhi’ dialogue mujhe bahut hi ajeeb lagta hai…main aaj tak nahi samjha logo ko usme kya pasand aaya There was also this dialogue from Gangs of Wasseypur, Baap ka dada ka sabka badla lega tera faisal had become a huge craze…I was very embarrassed when I was saying it and in my head

Given the success you’ve achieved, do you plan your career now?

I don’t plan my career, but yes there are a few ideas that I have in my mind which I would like to complete someday. I don't think I can call myself an achiever.. We are still and will always be in the proces. Like life on stage — one play followed by another play.