Nawazuddin Siddiqui is understood for turning even the smallest roles into unforgettable performances—and his chilling portrayal in Badlapur is not any exception. However what many could not know is that his character, Liak, was barely written when he joined the venture.
In a latest dialog with RavanSpeaks, Nawaz revealed that his function wasn’t utterly fleshed out within the authentic script. There was no set arc, no detailed backstory—only a fundamental concept. He was informed the movie explored two contrasting journeys: one in every of a very good man turning dangerous, and the opposite of a foul man discovering some shred of goodness. That was all he needed to go on.
Regardless of such a minimal transient, Nawaz crafted one of the vital layered and haunting characters within the movie. He attributed a lot of this artistic freedom to director Sriram Raghavan, whom he described as somebody always working by means of drafts, tearing them up, and rewriting them as new concepts got here to him. The actor praised Raghavan’s unpredictability and dedication, noting that the director at all times saved the staff creatively engaged.
Nawaz additionally highlighted the staff’s synergy as a driving power behind the movie’s success. Producer Dinesh Vijan, in accordance with him, wasn’t simply funding the venture—he was emotionally invested and daring in how he selected to current the movie. From the director to the producer to the complete crew, everybody introduced their artistic A-game to the desk, and that zeal translated onto the display screen.
Apparently, Sriram Raghavan initially had completely different plans for the casting. In a separate interview, the filmmaker revealed he initially envisioned Nawaz alongside the late Irrfan Khan. Nevertheless, after some detours and solutions from Vijan, the function in the end went to Varun Dhawan, who stunned many along with his intense transformation.
Nawazuddin Siddiqui continues to showcase his versatility with a sequence of compelling roles. In 2024, he starred in Rautu Ka Raaz, a thriller movie the place he performed Inspector Deepak Singh Negi, a PTSD-afflicted officer unraveling a posh case in a hill station setting.
In 2025, Siddiqui took on the lead function in Costao, portraying a Nineties Goa customs officer who sacrifices every thing to dismantle a significant gold smuggling operation.
ALSO READ: ‘Principal first mein tha toh mujhe…’: Nawazuddin Siddiqui opens up on returning for Salman Khan’s Bajrangi Bhaijaan sequel