'Jab Zinda The Tab Qadr Ki Nahi: Nawazuddin Siddiqui On Bollywood Ignoring Legends Like Irrfan, Om Puri

Nawazuddin Siddiqui calls out Bollywood for sidelining legendary actors like Irrfan Khan, Om Puri, and Naseeruddin Shah, saying they were never offered big-budget films despite public admiration.

Nawazuddin Siddiqui has voiced his disappointment over how some of Bollywood’s most critically acclaimed actors have long been typecast and denied the mainstream spotlight they deserve.

Source : IMDb

Nawazuddin Siddiqui has voiced his disappointment over how some of Bollywood’s most critically acclaimed actors have long been typecast and denied the mainstream spotlight they deserve. In a new interview, the Gangs of Wasseypur actor reflected on how legends like Om Puri, Naseeruddin Shah, Irrfan Khan, and Manoj Bajpayee were never considered for lead roles in big-budget films—even though audiences adored them.

Nawazuddin on Om Puri, Nawazuddin Siddiqui & Irrfan Khan

In a candid conversation with Pinkvilla, Nawazuddin said,“From Naseer sahab (Naseeruddin Shah) to Om Puri, then Pankaj Kapur, Irrfan Khan, and Manoj Bajpayee—these are the greatest actors of our film industry. But unfortunately, nobody thought about making a big-budget film with them as leads. Even though people in India were crazy about watching them on screen, their cinema never truly reached the masses.”

He lamented that these exceptional actors were often sidelined to small or mid-budget films and that industry bias kept them from the mainstream despite their immense popularity.

“They say there are public's actors and industry's actors. But the films of these public’s actors are not reaching the public. It saddens me.”

The actor also pointed out the hypocrisy surrounding posthumous praise.

“Aaj sab Irrfan Khan Irrfan karte hain. Jab zinda the tab to qadr ki nahi (Today, everyone talks about Irrfan Khan. But nobody valued him when he was alive). Did anyone make a ₹20-25 crore film with him? No!”

Actors like Om Puri, Naseeruddin Shah, and Pankaj Kapur were at the forefront of the 1980s parallel cinema movement, which often prioritized storytelling over commercial appeal. Meanwhile, Manoj Bajpayee, despite receiving critical acclaim for films like Shool, Gangs of Wasseypur, and Bhaiyaji, has largely been cast in supporting roles when it comes to big-budget entertainers.

Nawazuddin Siddiqui in 'Costao'

Nawazuddin was most recently seen in Costao, a biographical crime drama directed by Sejal Shah. Released on May 1, 2025, the film stars Priya Bapat, Kishore, Hussain Dalal, and Mahika Sharma alongside Nawazuddin in a powerful role.