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Nawazuddin is set to play Manto in Nandita Das' film, but casting him wasn't easy

Nawazuddin is set to play Manto in Nandita Das' film, but casting him wasn't easy

There was pressure on me to cast a more mainstream star, says Das
Updated 18 May, 2016

After Sarmad Khoosat's Manto comes another film on the iconic writer from Pakistan, and this one will star Nawazuddin Siddiqui in the main role.

Also read: Nandita Das on why Manto was the greatest flagbearer of freedom of expression

Director Nandita Das announced this at the 69th Cannes Film Festival, reports Times of India. She revealed that Siddiqui has already done costume tests for the role of Saadat Hasan Manto.

"I have Nawazuddin in mind from the very outset," said Nandita Das, who was in Cannes to finalise the film's shoot plan in Mumbai and Lahore at year end.

"But in India, economics always interferes with art and there was pressure on me to cast a more mainstream star," she continued. "But I absolutely need the kind of nuances and depth that only Nawazuddin can deliver."

About the film, Das said, "It's not a cradle-to-grave biopic but a drama celebrating the life and work of a writer who was a natural rebel, a man who went against the tide without being a conscious activist."

"The film will cover a period of seven years between 1946 and 1952, which was an important phase in the history of the subcontinent," added Das.

Comments

Umer May 18, 2016 03:51pm
He is best for this role..
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Awesome Lyrics May 18, 2016 04:03pm
Great choice, watch his trailer of Raman Raghav 0.2 you can see the intensity of his acting
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Changez_Khan May 18, 2016 04:22pm
Nawazuddin is an outstanding actor with great talents.
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Shahzad Ahmed May 18, 2016 04:49pm
Nawaz would only need a face lift as Manto had a Kashmiri origin...rest is fine
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Indoaryan May 18, 2016 04:53pm
Not so well known actor in the glamour world, hope he comes up the expectations of the Director. Sometimes great expectations can overwhelm an untried actor , hope this roll works for this guy.
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Jawaid Islam May 18, 2016 05:52pm
Nawazudddin is talented enough to do this.
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Mady May 18, 2016 06:02pm
Nawaz has rustic Indian look and nonchalant acting style. He is absolutely great in roles of village/city common-man such a GOW, Talash, Bagrangi,. Eager to watch him in RR-2. I hope Nandita has screenplay to match his talent
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Waseem Sarwar May 18, 2016 06:50pm
Loved his acting in Gangs of Wasseypur. Pakistani Manto was a pretty god movie too.
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Abdullah May 18, 2016 07:39pm
Wat a marvellous actor Nawazuddin Siddiqui is............just brilliant........one of the best actor who is rated low...
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Indian May 18, 2016 10:07pm
Nawazuddin is original actor. I Love Gangs of wasepur. Incredible performance.
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A z khan May 18, 2016 10:16pm
Irfan khan would have been a better choice his eyes resembled him besides Manto punjabi speaking ,he had punjabi lehja while nawaz is upite he may try ,by saying this i do not degrade the talent of Nawaz he is great too as talent .
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Mumbai Indian May 18, 2016 10:21pm
Great choice. Could have also considered irfan khan, Ranveer Shorey..
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ZAK May 19, 2016 04:17am
A very fine Indian casting.
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Kyoorius May 19, 2016 04:26am
Another movie to look forward to. It will be a treat.
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Rizwan Shaikh May 19, 2016 08:56am
How about Shahrukh Khan playing the lead role?
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karachi Wally May 19, 2016 09:05am
He is great choice for this role; the next best would be Irfan Khan.
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Freda Shah May 19, 2016 09:33am
Manto was a cosmopolitan, modern man, far ahead of his time as most geniuses are. He lived as an individual, shunning society's pretensions.
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Umar Khitab May 20, 2016 09:15am
I wonder if he would be able to undo the damage done by Khoosat and Buchha....The problem is the myopic understanding and misinterpretation of one of the greatest story teller of this region ..Pseudo intellectuals would jump on any opportunity to cash in ...Paying tribute to Manto would be to eliminate all the short comings in humanity he pointed out 70 years back..the truth is 70 years later, we are still letting the individuals who Manto despised present a neurotic image...Manto was a creative genius who knew what the message was to be presented and to whom hurt the most. The problem is us as Pakistanis, we never learn..we selected an actor who immortalized the legend of count Dracula and now Khoosat/Bucha horrendously ridiculed the literary genius. We don't need no enemies we are ourselves capable enough to destroy ourselves....
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