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Nawazuddin Siddiqui Says Doing International Films Is 'Overrated'

Nawazuddin Thinks Doing International Films Has Become A 'Status Symbol'
Indian Bollywood actor Nawazuddin Siddiqui poses for a photograph during the Star Screen Awards 2016 ceremony in Mumbai on late January 8, 2016. AFP PHOTO / STR / AFP / STRDEL (Photo credit should read STRDEL/AFP/Getty Images)
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Indian Bollywood actor Nawazuddin Siddiqui poses for a photograph during the Star Screen Awards 2016 ceremony in Mumbai on late January 8, 2016. AFP PHOTO / STR / AFP / STRDEL (Photo credit should read STRDEL/AFP/Getty Images)

At a time when several Indian actors are appearing in mainstream international projects, Nawazuddin Siddiqui maintains that he isn't really tempted to test foreign waters.

In an interview with Hindustan Times, Siddiqui minced no words while explaining what he feels about venturing 'outside'.

He said:

"I never sit, and think, 'Now I will do international films.' If I ever do international movies, I will have to go through the process of discovering the character inside me. I am doing the same here. So, why should I kill myself to do an international film? Discovering the new dimensions of the characters offered to me is important, as every film comes with a new challenge."

Stars who're currently doing international assignments include Priyanka Chopra (Baywatch, Quantico), Deepika Padukone (XxX: The Return Of Xander Cage), and Irrfan Khan, who Nawaz famously doesn't get along with.

In the same interview, Siddiqui said, "Doing international films is overrated; it is nothing more than a status symbol. People have done international films in the past as well. If you are getting work from another industry due to your talent, that’s great. But to get work there, if you have to hire an agent, publicise your work, and show them how good an actor you are, then it’s not worth it."

Despite not signing up for any foreign productions, Siddiqui said that he's happy about the response his Indian films generate abroad. "My new film (Raman Raghav 2.0) was screened with subtitles at Cannes; still, the audience connected with it. I feel that cinema has a universal language. Emotions have no boundary. It’s the same everywhere."

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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.