After Fawad Khan, another Pakistani actor is set to make India his second home. Television star Adnan Siddiqui kick-starts his Bollywood journey with Sridevi-starrer 'Mom' after having rejected quite a few offers from several ace filmmakers here. That includes films like Rani Mukerji's 'Mardaani' and erotic thriller 'Jism 2'.
Even when he was approached for 'Mom', Siddiqui was in two minds about doing it. "Initially, I was nervous about working with Srideviji, but her kindness made it easy. She reacts perfectly and puts you at ease. She is a great actor and extremely humble. That shows her class and what she has achieved. I have learnt a lot of things from her," says the 46-year-old.
But he didn't know Sridevi when he was offered the film. What made him finally sign it? "The fact that I would be able to rub shoulders with an experienced actress like Sridevi," Siddiqui gushes, as the fanboy in him comes to the fore. He adds, "Also, the banner, belief in the producer (Boney Kapoor) and director (Ravi Udyawar). But most of all, Nawazuddin Siddiqui. Though I have no scenes with him, I can at least put in my resume that I have worked with him," he chuckles.
The actor, who recently wrapped up work on his TV shows, 'Mere Humdum Mere Dost' and 'Vasl', explains why he passed up 'Mardaani' despite it being a YRF production. "It's not about the production house; it's about the role I am offered. If they had offered me the role of the antagonist in 'Mardaani', I would have lapped it up, but they wanted me to play a cop who didn't even have 20 minutes on screen. It was barely a five-minute thing and I can't accept that, no matter what production house it is. I need a role that's challenging and suits me. 'Mom' is a family drama, something a strong family man would like to do. No person, banner or production house can make a movie. It is the whole team that has to be good. Of course, in this business you cannot predict anything, but I am keeping my fingers crossed," he says.
Does it worry him that it is a female-oriented project after all? Siddiqui says, "While I am of the same age as the Khans, they are still not my contemporaries. It would be stupid to think that I will get a role like they do. I am creating space like Irrfan, Kay Kay Menon or Manoj Bajpayee and a few other character actors. If I think I can do what Shah Rukh Khan does here or, for that matter, what Fawad does in Pakistan, it will be stupid. You have to be aware of where you stand."
