Nawazuddin Siddiqui is celebrated as one of the finest legends of Indian cinema, admired for his remarkable versatility and the depth he brings to every character. With his unmatched craft, he has carved a unique place in the industry, often drawing comparisons to the late, iconic Irrfan Khan. Among his many unforgettable roles, his portrayal of Ganesh Gaitonde in Sacred Games stands out as one of his most powerful and memorable performances. Yet, while the audience loved his portrayal, the role did not come to him easily.
In a recent podcast, Nawazuddin shared how Sacred Games happened to him. He said, "Motwani approached me first. I told him, ‘I've struggled so much to finally get into films—and now you want me to do a TV serial again? I don’t want to.’ But he said, ‘Nawaz, this isn’t a TV serial. It’s OTT. It’ll be watched all over the world.’ Honestly, I didn’t believe him. Motwani is a very to-the-point guy—unless there’s drama, we actors don’t really get convinced. I ignored it for three or four months. Eventually, Motwani told Anurag, ‘You convince him.'" "Anurag, after a drink or two, sat me down and said, ‘Just do it. It’s a great character.’ I finally said, ‘Alright, let’s do it.’ They told me this could even surpass Gangs of Wasseypur. I said, ‘Okay, let's do it.’" He further added. He said, "But truthfully, I had no idea what Netflix was, or what OTT even meant—none of us did. It was all happening for the first time. Then we started shooting—and it felt like we were making a film. That’s when I thought, Yes, this is something big." Apart from this, On the work front, Nawazuddin will be seen in Raat Akeli Hai 2 and Thama.