Nawazuddin Siddiqui reacts to alleged beef with late Irrfan Khan
What's the story
Late actor Irrfan Khan's demise in 2020 left a gaping hole in Bollywood, and for his colleagues, the pain is still fresh. One such actor is Nawazuddin Siddiqui, who recently recalled the late actor on the Hindi Rush podcast. He opened up about their relationship and addressed rumors of a fallout during the making of The Lunchbox. He dismissed these speculations, saying, "That was just news. I don't think everything reported in the news is the truth."
Budget constraints
'Our film couldn't afford this...'
Siddiqui explained that The Lunchbox was made on a tight budget and timeline, leaving no room for ego clashes. He said, "Our film couldn't afford this. We were making the film on a very small budget, so we couldn't waste time on such useless things." The actor also recalled their long creative equation, having worked together in several films.
Senior-junior bond
'I saw him as an older brother'
Siddiqui fondly remembered Khan as a senior and a guide. He said, "Irrfan bhai was my senior, and we shared a very long association." "Even when he was preparing for his Hollywood films, I would be with him all the time." "I'd read lines with him, give him cues... His aashirvaad has always been there. I saw him as an older brother."
Other projects
'New York,' 'Paan Singh Tomar' were their other collaborations
Siddiqui and Khan have worked together in films such as New York, The Bypass, and Paan Singh Tomar. In these films, Khan was the lead actor while Siddiqui played smaller but impactful roles. Siddiqui is set to star in Netflix's Raat Akeli Hai: The Bansal Murders, releasing on December 19.