Nawazuddin Siddiqui Expresses Remorse Over Role in Tamil Film “Petta”, Vows to Improve Craft

Renowned actor Nawazuddin Siddiqui recently opened up about his experience shooting his first Tamil film, “Petta,” alongside superstar Rajinikanth. In an interview with Galatta Plus, Siddiqui revealed his feelings of remorse despite the honor of co-starring with Rajinikanth in Karthik Subbaraj’s directorial venture.

Reflecting on his involvement in “Petta,” Siddiqui confessed to grappling with guilt upon returning from the shoot. He candidly expressed in Hindi, “When I did Petta with Rajini sir, after I came back from the shoot, I was in a lot of guilt. That I’m charging money for something I don’t even know. It felt like I fooled everyone. Because I was just lip-syncing to the prompting. I couldn’t understand a lot of words, but I was doing it. Even if it turns out to be efficient, you feel very ashamed. And if you get paid for it, you ask yourself, ‘Am I committing fraud?'”

“Petta,” a Sun Pictures production, boasts a stellar cast including Sasikumar, Simran, Trisha, and Vijay Sethupathy, in addition to Siddiqui and Rajinikanth. Directed by Karthik Subbaraj, the film features music composed by Anirudh Ravichander. Released in 2019 alongside Siva’s Ajith-Nayanthara starrer “Viswasam,” “Petta” translates to “one’s local stronghold” in Tamil.

Siddiqui further revealed that the experience on the sets of “Petta” served as a learning curve for him, prompting a shift in approach for his subsequent Telugu feature, “Saindhav.” “I did my own dubbing. And every dialogue, I knew its meaning, what I’m saying, and why I’m saying it. So I felt less guilty,” he remarked.

Following its theatrical premiere on January 13, “Petta” is now available for streaming on Prime Video India. In the film, Siddiqui portrays the role of Vikas Malik, a ruthless criminal, earning comparisons to a “desi John Wick,” as he clashes with Venkatesh’s lead character.