Among the contemporary actors, Nawazuddin Siddiqui is a legendary talent who iconic performances cannot be forgotten. From playing a simple man next door to one with vengeance in his heart to even playing the character of a woman, he has done it all with poise and elan. Each of his characters on-screen is a masterclass summed up in those two hours, which has immense depth, body language, layered performances and absolute authenticity. This makes sure that his characters make a buzz for a long time. Currently, after another memorable performance in Costao, his next film Main Actor Nahin Hoon (I am not an actor) directed by Aditya Kripalani is taking centrestage. And the latest news is that it has earned a special screening at the iconic Lee Strasberg Theatre Institute in New York City.
The movie revolves around Siddiqui, who plays the lead role of a retired banker turned aspiring actor. He starts connecting with a professional actor virtually to hone his skills. The film has an ensemble cast including Chitrangada Satarupa, Naveen Kasturia, Ayushi Gupta, Yasir Iftikhar Khan, Meenakshi Arundhati, Vibhawari Deshpande and more. After a successful screening at the New York Indian Film Festival, it will now be screened exclusively for the students and alumni of the Lee Strasberg Theatre and Film Institute on June 24, 2025.
Director and writer Aditya Kripalani mentions, “We are so excited about this. It is a film about acting, so for it to go to a prestigious establishment like this is a huge honour.” He continues, “As artistes, we feel bankers have it easy... I want to debunk these labels.”
The news does not end with the screening itself. While like at the end of most screening there will be a fruitful conversation between Kripalani and Siddiqui, the students and alumni will also be given a method-acting masterclass by Siddiqui himself. This would only enable them to understand his processes of imbibing and playing out a character on screen with such grace and open doors to their ideas of interpreting the various layers of this craft.
On the work front, Siddiqui is currently shooting for Thama alongside Rashmika Mandanna and Ayushmann Khurrana.