Success has come to Nawazuddin Siddiqui only after years of struggling in Bollywood. Consistently praised for a nuanced portrayal of characters, the talented actor has just recently penned a memoir, chronicling his journey so far. Most of it elaborates his toil in the Indian film industry.

Says Nawazuddin, “People travel from every nook and corner of the country to find work in Mumbai. It’s harsh to survive the pressures that this industry poses.”

With no Godfather to fall back on, Nawazuddin has built a career merely on the strength of his craft, battling the conventional norms prevalent in Bollywood. Not long ago, the versatile actor announced his association with a short film festival called Bolti Khidkiyaan.

Nawazuddin believes in the power of content and thought the festival a perfect platform for aspiring filmmakers to showcase their creative skills. He says, “The festival was Mukesh’s (Chhabra) brainchild and I thought it would be interesting to be part of it.”

It is learnt that Nawazuddin will not only collaborate with Mukesh Chhabra for the launch of the festival, but also provide financial support to produce the film that wins at the festival. Not worried at the risk of investing in fresh talent and raising the scale of the short film, he says, “I’ll spend as much as required.” Nawazuddin also reveals that the idea behind this exercise is to hone and encourage new talent in the country.

The award-winning actor informs that he will determine the winner as soon as he goes through the numerous scripts submitted to the festival.