Nawazuddin Siddiqui Recalls How Watching a Play at Mandi House Sparked His Acting Career

Nawazuddin Siddiqui has built a varied career in Indian cinema, taking on characters across films, series and theatre. From Gangs of Wasseypur and The Lunchbox to Raman Raghav 2.0, Manto, Sacred Games and Thamma, the actor has often explored layered roles and stories that have allowed him to experiment with different aspects of his craft. However, his decision to pursue acting came after an unexpected experience early in his career.

Looking back at the moment when he realised that acting was the path he wanted to pursue, Nawazuddin Siddiqui recalled how watching a play at Mandi House in Delhi changed his perspective. He said, “After graduating, I started working as a chief chemist in Baroda. Within a year, I realised the job was not for me and moved to Delhi. While I was looking for work there, someone introduced me to theatre and took me to watch a play at Mandi House. That experience changed everything. As I watched the performance, I realised acting was what I had always wanted to do, but instead, I had been pursuing everything else. It also struck me that this was something I could never get bored of. Soon after, I joined an amateur theatre group and spent over a year performing with them before eventually getting admission to the National School of Drama. Joining the group was also a practical decision because you needed experience in a certain number of plays to be eligible for admission to NSD.”

His introduction to theatre eventually became an important step in his acting journey. After watching the play, Nawazuddin joined an amateur theatre group, where he spent more than a year performing. His theatre experience also helped him meet the eligibility requirement for admission to the National School of Drama.

The training and experience he gained through theatre later became part of his approach to acting. Over the years, he has worked across films, series and stage productions, taking on a range of characters and genres.

Nawazuddin Siddiqui continues to explore different roles and stories in his career. He will next be seen in Tumbbad 2.