One of India’s most acclaimed actors, Nawazuddin Siddiqui, faced numerous challenges before achieving success in the film industry, including a setback in Kamal Haasan’s classic Hey Ram.
Nawaz worked as an assistant director in the film and was given a small but crucial role. However, just before the film’s premiere, Kamal Haasan informed Nawaz that his role had been cut from the film.
During his appearance on The Kapil Sharma Show, Nawazuddin recalled the heartbreaking incident and said, “Its premiere was held at Film City in Mumbai, and I took at least 5-6 of my friends. I told them, I have worked on that film. Everyone came. Before the film screening, Kamal Haasan, sir, came to me and said, ‘Nawaz, tell your friends your role has been cut.’”
With a heavy heart, Nawaz asked Kamal Haasan how this was possible and requested that his scenes be shown during the screening. However, Kamal refused, citing the film’s release the next day, and asked him to honestly inform his friends.
Upon hearing the news, Nawaz tearfully informed his friends and said, “I gave them the choice to watch the film or not, but they wanted to watch it.” Nawaz had also shared that Kamal’s daughter, Shruti Haasan, had consoled him at the time.
Released in 2000, Hey Ram is a thriller-drama set against the backdrop of India’s partition. The film is directed by Kamal Haasan and also stars Rani Mukerji, Shah Rukh Khan, and Nasserudin Shah in key roles.
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