Actor Nawazuddin Siddiqui has opened up about the indie films and how the practice of sidelining them is “dangerous”. Speaking with SCREEN, Nawazuddin said that cinema “should not be dependent on marketing.” Sharing how Payal Kapadia’s film All We Imagine As Light won awards, he added that when it was released in Indian theatres, “it was thrown out of theatres after four days.”

Nawazuddin Siddiqui talks about indie films

Talking about independent films, Nawazuddin said, “One can only hope that time comes back. There are only a few films that have kept cinema alive,” argues Siddiqui, adding, “To those who say films have to be commercially viable, that’s not necessary. If I go to a restaurant whose food I love, whether they market it or not, I’ll still go there no matter how far it is because I have the taste. If the food is not good, no matter how much marketing you do, it won’t work. Cinema should not be dependent on marketing.”

Nawazuddin on All We Imagine As Light

He also opened up about All We Imagine As Light. “For instance, Payal Kapadia’s film All We Imagine As Light (2024) was in the Competition section at Cannes Film Festival after a long time. It also won an award. We can’t imagine how many people around the world would’ve watched it. But once it released in India, it was thrown out of theatres after four days! The audience already knows about it, but at least it should get its fair place in the sun,” he added.

All We Imagine As Light scripted history by becoming the first film from India ever to win the Grand Prix award at the Cannes Film Festival in May last year. The film stars Kani Kusruti, Divya Prabha and Chhaya Kadam.

Nawazuddin’s recent film

Nawazuddin stars in Raat Akeli Hai: The Bansal Murders, directed by Honey Trehan and written by Smita Singh. Apart from Nawazuddin, the film also stars Chitragandha Singh, Rajat Kapoor, Radhika Apte and Sanjeev Kapoor in the lead roles. It is streaming on Netflix.