Nawazuddin Siddiqui

For me, Kahaani was definitely one. In Talaash, I had the chance to observe and mimic my younger brother, who has a slight limp.

• "IN CINEMA, LESS IS MORE IMPACTFUL," SAYS NAWAZUDDIN SIDDIQUI

At 50, you've been in acting for 25 years. Can you recall a pivotal film that made you feel you'd truly made it as an actor?

Seeing how well it translated on screen was incredibly satisfying. Drawing from real life rather than just movies can bring out a character's nuances more authentically.

You play such dark characters. How do you tap into that darkness? Who doesn't have darkness within them? You seem to have too much of it.

I have poured mine out and become empty.

When you read a script, do you naturally lean towards darker themes?

When I portray a dark character, I relish the opportunity to explore their complexities. In Bollywood, however, deep characterization is not always the norm. Many roles tend to be superficial. If I were to play such roles repeatedly, I'd quickly lose interest. But when a character like Ramanna from Raman Raghav 2.0 comes along, I feel compelled to delve deeper and uncover new aspects of myself. That's why I have a strong affinity for characters with shades of grey or darker personas.

If you're playing a negative guy like Raman Raghav, do you feel judgmental?

If I judge, I won’t be able to do the character. I need to fully believe in my character’s philosophy. That I can also be like this. That I can also kill any person, if I feel like killing someone, I can. To believe this was difficult for me. You have to believe. Otherwise, don’t go for it.