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Nawazuddin Siddiqui's Prep For 'Manto' Actually Reveals The Gruelling Process Of A Great Artist

A performance to watch out for.
(Left) Sadat Hasan Manto, (Right) Nawazuddin Siddiqui
Nandita Das
(Left) Sadat Hasan Manto, (Right) Nawazuddin Siddiqui

By now, one knows that Nawazuddin Siddiqui is playing the role of Sadat Hasan Manto in the late writer's biopic which acclaimed director Nandita Das is making.

In an interview with DNA, Nawaz has now spoken about the elaborate prep work he's doing to get the character of the iconic author right.

For starters, Nawaz has decided to cut himself off from all means of communication.

He has decided to dress like Manto for as long as the film is in the making, even when he's not physically present on sets.

He said, "I feel I know him well enough to get into his mind and body. I need to dress the way he did, and as long as I'm playing him, I need to live my life the way he did. Alone. Writing words that created magic on paper."

Nawaz as Manto.
Nandita Das
Nawaz as Manto.

The actor also revealed that he intends to refurnish his room in the same manner as Manto's. This includes replacing the type of bed he currently sleeps on.

"If I enter Manto's physical world, I feel I can penetrate his mind," he said.

While actors are known to juggle a couple of projects, Nawaz intends to steer clear of shooting any other film until Manto is completed.

The actor did something similar during the filming of Anurag Kashyap's Raman Raghav 2.0. The process took such a toll on him that he was rushed to the hospital a couple of times. He would also end up talking in his sleep, something that sent his wife in a state of panic.

Nawaz, in a conversation with this writer, later revealed that he had to go back to his village in Uttar Pradesh and live with his extended family to finally come in a state of complete normalcy.

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This article exists as part of the online archive for HuffPost India, which closed in 2020. Some features are no longer enabled. If you have questions or concerns about this article, please contact indiasupport@huffpost.com.