Nawazuddin Siddiqui Defends Ranveer Singh in Method Acting Debate

Manoj Bajpayee, Nawazuddin Siddiqui, and Ranveer Singh are among the actors celebrated by both critics and audiences for their extraordinary body of work. Every character they portray leaves a lasting impact and often becomes iconic. Known for their dedication and the depth they bring to each role, they immerse themselves completely in their characters. Over the years, both Ranveer and Manoj Bajpayee have shared that certain roles stayed with them long after filming ended, making it difficult to step out of those characters. 

Recently, in a podcast, legendary actor Nawazuddin Siddiqui was asked about this method of acting which has long been a point of discussion with the art of filmmaking. While many actors have shared that method-acting is not the approach they follow, Nawazuddin sided with Ranveer and Manoj. Nawazuddin, who himself is known for his finesse and legendary roles, backed them, affirming that the process is very real. 

Nawazuddin shared, "Nahi Wo aadmi jo bol raha hai wo uske undar jhaak ke dekha hai kya kis kis process se bit rahi hai uski zindagi, ye kehdena ke ye kehne ki bate hoti hai, nai hoti kehne ki baate sir, jab aap deep down jaate hai kisi character ke aapko pata hota hai kitni painful process se guzarte hai aap, irresponsible wala jawaab hai ye, agar ye sari chize na hoti toh joker ka wo bhi na hota jo Heath Ledger ne jo kiya tha. Casually lena hota toh dialogues me bhi bolkar aajauga. Dialogues toh sabko yaad ho jate hai, college ke ladko ko bolo wo bhi padh ke aajaege. Wah wah wah kya performance, yehi toh farak ata hai na..." 

(The person who is saying this—have they really looked inside him to see what processes he is going through in his life? To just say these are things people say—it’s not. Sir, when you go deep down into a character, you realize how painful the process is. Saying otherwise is an irresponsible answer. If all these things weren’t real, then the Joker that Heath Ledger created wouldn’t have been what it was. If it were casual, he could have just delivered the dialogue, and that would have been it. Dialogues are something anyone can memorize—even college kids could read and recite them. ‘Wow, what a performance’, this is where the difference comes from, isn’t it?”)

On the work front, Ranveer  is set to close the year with Dhurandhar, releasing on 5th December. Directed by Aditya Dhar, the high-octane action thriller has already generated significant buzz. Meanwhile, Manoj Bajpayee’s recently released film Inspector Zende earned widespread acclaim for his performance, and audiences are now eagerly awaiting his return in The Family Man Season 3 later this year. While Nawazuddin will be next seen in the horror-comedy, Thamma, releasing this Diwali.