Truth is never easy, but it always triumphs in the end: Nawazuddin Siddiqui

12/12/2017

Portraying master storyteller Saadat Hasan Manto in Nandita Das’ upcoming film Manto has deeply influenced actor Nawazuddin Siddqui.Talking about it at Jashn-e-Rekhta, he said, “Manto ne apni life mein sach likha, jo dekha woh likha. Woh cheez mere dimaag mein itni chaa gayi thi, ki usi dauran main itna zyada sach bolne laga ki mere pe bahut zyada controversy shuru ho gayi.” (Manto wrote what he saw. That notion stayed with me so much so that, during that time I spoke so much truth that a lot of controversies began to surround me).
Siddiqui recently apologised and withdrew his memoir - An ordinary life: A memoir, after ex- girlfriends Sunita Rajwar and Niharika Singh slammed him in their statements. “Baad mein mujhe realise hua ki thoda sambhal ke rehna padega. Kyunki society mein right or wrong ka humesha chalta hai. Mere par affect bahut hua Manto ka.”
Nawazuddin Siddiqui shares that honesty was slammed even by his closest of friends. “Main pehle pretend karke bolta tha, sach nahin bolta tha, bahut saari cheese jhooth bolta tha main. Lekin Manto ke baad aise laga, ki dekhta hoon yaar is baar zara. Sach bolunga. Himmat si bandhi meri. Lekin jaise hi himmat bandhi, bahut saare logo ne gaali dena shuru kar diya. Even mere bahut khaas doston ne gaali dena shuru kar diya. Tu pagal hai, yeh hai, woh hai. Toh mujhe laga ghalat impression par jaayega. Mujhe realise hua honest hona bahut mehenga par raha hai mujhe.” (I used to pretend, and not often speak the truth earlier. But after playing Manto, I got the strength to speak the truth. But a lot of people started to slam me, even my closest of friends. Being honest came at a cost).
When asked that while Manto always believed in voicing the truth, is it a practical and safe idea in today’s time, he said, “Of course darr toh hota hi hai sach bolne mein pure tareeke se. Jaise kabhi hota hai ki itna zyada sach mat bolo, thoda sa bol do, compromise wala chalta hain nah (laughs).Maine ek kitaab likhi thi, usme maine itna sach bol diya ki, toh humari director saahiba ne bola ki itna sach nahi bolna chahiye tha.”
(There is fear in speaking the truth. It often happens with truth that you say some and keep some. I wrote a book, where I spoke so much truth that my director said that I shouldn’t have spoken so much truth).
Talking about Das’ insistence to give a public apology, he said, “Toh woh maine de di. Sach mein bhi yeh hone laga ki thoda sa itna chhupa lo, itna bol do, thoda pretend kar do. Apne hisaab se apne level pe bolna chahiye sach. Aakhir mein sach ki jeet hoti hai (I gave the apology. One should speak the truth in one’s capacity. Truth always triumphs in the end).

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