Actor Nawazuddin Siddiqui has extended his support to actor-comedian Rajpal Yadav following his imprisonment in connection with a cheque-bounce case, as per reports.

A source close to Siddiqui dismissed rumours suggesting he did not stand by Yadav during his difficult phase, India Today reported.

“This isn’t the first time Nawazuddin has helped him. Earlier too, he had extended financial assistance amounting to Rs 10 lakh. Nawazuddin has always preferred to keep such gestures away from the spotlight and does not speak about them publicly and has chosen to help discreetly.”

In a previous interview with The Lallantop, Nawazuddin recalled how Rajpal made sure no struggling actor left his home hungry.

“When Rajpal was getting good work, he would feed a lot of people. He supported us when we were struggling in the industry. Not once did he back out from helping. He has helped many struggling actors. His house was like a langar—anybody could walk in and eat. He jokes a lot, but in reality, he is a very sensitive human being,” Siddiqui said.

The Bhool Bhulaiyaa actor was sent to Tihar jail after the Delhi High Court rejected his plea seeking additional time to repay outstanding dues in the cases. The actor is required to pay nearly Rs 9 crore.

Several public figures, including actors Salman Khan, Ajay Devgn, Sonu Sood, Gurmeet Chaudhary, Kamaal R Khan, politician Tej Pratap Yadav, and music composer Rao Inderjit Yadav, have offered financial assistance to the family and urged others in the industry to step forward.

In 2010, Yadav borrowed Rs 5 crore from M/s Murali Projects Pvt Ltd for his directorial debut Ata Pata Laapata, which failed at the box office. Prior to his surrender, Yadav told Bollywood Hungama that he did not have the funds or other means to clear the outstanding amount.

In its recent judgment, the Delhi High Court noted that Yadav was required to pay Rs 1.35 crore in each of the seven cases against him. The court also directed that the amount already deposited with the registrar general of the high court be released in favour of the complainant.

Sonu Sood was among the first to publicly support the actor, saying he had signed Yadav for a film and would provide the signing amount in advance. Yadav, a National School of Drama graduate, has featured prominently in several popular Hindi comedies.

Sood urged others in the industry to extend support.

“A small signing amount, adjustable against future work, is not charity, it’s dignity. When one of our own is going through a tough phase... This is how we show we are more than just an industry,” he said.