I get irritated when compared to Irrfan: Nawazuddin Siddiqui

With celebrated performances as Faizal Khan in Gangs Of Wasseypur, the IB Officer A Khan in Kahaani and Shaikh in The Lunchbox and now as Laayak Tungekar in Badlapur, it's hard to pin Nawazuddin Siddiqui down as any one of them: he is the common Indian man on the street, blending into the crowd as expertly as he stands out with his performances.

He chats with us on working towards not getting stereotyped, his disdain for the 100 cr film club and a constant comparison with fellow actor Irrfan Khan... Do you think it will make Rs 100 crore?

Badlapur has got huge praise. Think it will make it to the 100 crore club?
I really don't know yaar. I am very happy looking at the kind of response it has got despite of the World Cup. With tremendous word-of-mouth, I am sure it will do well.

Your thoughts on the Rs 100 crore club?
I don't believe it in at all. People should like the movie and that should be the only criteria to measure the success of a film.

There was a time when villains were as popular as the heroes. Do you think that time has returned with you getting prominent roles as an antagonist?
I have a slightly different opinion on this. Because the character that I played in Badlapur was way more than that of a villain. He is endearing but at the same time he is cunning. Today, the lines have blurred. There are no heroes and villains, there are just characters and that is how it should be.

You were always seen as a serious actor doing only art cinema, but today you are doing a lot of commercial films. Why the switch?
I just want to tell stories my way and thesame goes for the films I want to do. For example, I can't say if Badlapur is an arty or a commercial film, but people are loving it and that's what important. Take The Lunchbox as another example. It did a lot of business overseas. In fact, it's the first small budgeted Hindi film to make that kind of money abroad. So what will we call such a film? Because by the looks it comes across as an arty film, but then if you look at the numbers, one can also call it commercial cinema, right? I believe that cinema today is either bad or it's good. That's it.

After Kick and Badlapur. Do you think that you are finally getting the credit due to you?
Yes and it's a good thing. A bit late but very good nonetheless. Sometimes I think if I had got all these films five years back, probably I wouldn't be as grounded as I am now. It helps that way.

Do you fear getting stereotyped?
Only heroes get stereotyped. As they do the same kind of roles again and again. I am doing characters that have so many layers. And I am very lucky that I show a lot of variety.

Future films?
I am working on Ketan Mehta's Mountain Man and then there is Khoon Ketu, which is an out-an-out comedy film. I am going to start shooting for Raees very soon. And Bajrangi Bhaijaan is halfway done.

Hollywood is not on cards?
I think I am at a point where the kind of films that are being made here are no less than any international film. So if my movies are already going to Hollywood, why do I need to star in theirs?

You are working with Shah Rukh Khan for the first time and with Salman for the second time...
It feels great. I am quite looking forward to working with Shah Rukh. As for Salman, I didn't really bond with him while shooting for Kick, but during Bajrangi Bhaijaan, we have quite a good time.

Irrfan Khan and you have been compared many a times. Feel irritated with these constant comparisons?
Of course it does get a bit irritating. He is a very senior actor and I respect him a lot. But I don't feel good when comparison happens. Each individual is different. By comparing, people are only insulting both is us. Neither are they understanding his craft, nor mine.