Nawazuddin Siddiqui is also known to convert the smallest roles into unforgettable performance – and his chilling depiction in Badlapur is no exception. But many people who do not know are that their character, Liak, was barely written when he joined the project.
In a recent conversation with Ravanspikes, Nawaz revealed that his role was not completely out of the original script. There was no set arch, no detailed backstory – just a original idea. He was told that the film discovered two opposite trips: one of a good man, and the other a bad man discovered some pieces of goodness. He had to go to him all.
Despite such a minimal abbreviation, Nawaz prepared one of the most leveled and harassed characters in the film. He blamed a lot for this creative freedom for director Sriram Raghavan, which he described as someone, to tear them, to tear them, and came to him as new ideas while writing them again. The actor praised Raghavan’s unexpectedness and dedication, given that the director always kept the team constructively busy.
Nawaz also highlighted the team’s coordination as a motivational power behind the success of the film. Producer Dinesh Vijan, according to him, was not only financed by the project – he was invested emotionally and he dared to choose how he chose to introduce the film. From the director to the manufacturer to the entire crew, everyone brought their creative A-Game to the table, and that passion was translated on screen.
Interestingly, at the beginning of Shri Ram Raghavan there were different plans for casting. In a separate interview, the filmmaker revealed that he had originally conceived Nawaz with late Irrfan Khan. However, after some rounds and suggestions from Vijan, the role finally went to Varun Dhawan, who surprised many with his intense change.
Nawazuddin Siddiqui continues to demonstrate his versatility with a series of compelling roles. In 2024, he starred in the secret of a mystery film, Raut, where he played the role of Inspector Deepak Singh Negi, a PTSD-victim officer, highlighting a complex case in a hill station setting.
In 2025, Siddiqui played the lead role in Costao, which depicted the Customs Officer of Goa of the 1990s, sacrificing everything to eliminate a major gold smuggling operation.
Also read: ‘Main First Meen was toh Muje …’
