Every actor has a defining phase that changes the course of their career. For Nawazuddin Siddiqui, that turning point arrived through three films that released within a short span of each other. While audiences today remember Talaash, Kahaani and Gangs of Wasseypur as landmark films, the actor says he had no idea they would go on to make such a lasting impact.
In an exclusive conversation with Himesh Mankad at the Bollywood Hungama Style Icon Awards 2026, Nawazuddin looked back at the period that introduced his work to a much wider audience and reflected on why he never saw the success coming.
"All three films were shot around the same time"
When asked whether Talaash was the film that truly changed his career by taking his performances to a wider audience, Nawazuddin pointed out, "Talaash was shot in 2011. Around 2010 and 2011, I worked on three films, Kahaani, Gangs of Wasseypur and Talaash. All three were shot in the same period and, if I remember correctly, they were all released in 2012."
Looking back, he considers that period to be one of the most significant chapters of his career, even though he did not realise its importance at the time.
"I treated them like theatre rehearsals"
Despite working on three films that would later become modern classics, Nawazuddin says his approach remained exactly the same as it had been during his theatre days: "I never realised what those films would become. In theatre, we rehearse two or three plays at the same time, and I treated these films in a similar way. I simply went, did my work and came back."
He added that the filmmaking process is filled with uncertainty: "The process has many ups and downs. Sometimes things go well and sometimes they don't. That's the mindset with which I worked on those films. I had no idea the outcome would be what it eventually became."
"Nobody expected those films to become so successful"
Nawazuddin admitted that there were no clear signs suggesting the films would emerge as major successes: "I had no idea what would happen with Gangs of Wasseypur or Kahaani. Kahaani wasn't a very big-budget film. In fact, when it was released, hardly anyone seemed to know about it for the first three or four days. Very few people were going to watch it."
However, word-of-mouth changed everything. He added, "From Monday onwards, the film really picked up and became a huge hit. Something similar happened with Talaash and Gangs of Wasseypur as well."
Reflecting on that memorable year, Nawazuddin expressed gratitude that audiences embraced all three films: "When those three films released in 2012, thankfully a lot of people watched them."
More Pages: Kahaani Box Office Collection , Kahaani Movie Review
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