Bollywood actor Nawazuddin Siddiqui has opened up about the prolonged struggles and emotional strain he faced before achieving recognition in the film industry.

Before his breakthrough in Gangs of Wasseypur, Siddiqui said his early years in Mumbai were defined by survival jobs and persistence in theatre. Arriving in the city with limited means, he worked as a watchman while pursuing acting, often living on minimal resources.

In an interview with Radio Nasha, the 51-year-old actor detailed the psychological toll of his early career struggles. “In the beginning, you have a lot of confidence and passion. But gradually, after facing repeated struggles, your confidence starts to fade. You begin to doubt yourself, whether what you learned was wrong, which is why you’re not getting work,” he said.

Siddiqui said he frequently questioned his own abilities and attributed missed opportunities to misfortune. “I have seen that mental state where I started doubting myself, felt unfit. It feels like bad luck has struck you – like every opportunity slips away just when you’re about to get it. For almost 10 years, I felt like I was manhus (unlucky). Whenever a big opportunity came, it would suddenly slip away”.

He added that even when roles were secured, they were not always guaranteed. “I would even tell my brother and friends that I had got work in a film. But when the shooting dates arrived, I would be fired – sometimes without even being informed. There were many times when I felt like crying in the middle of the road. And I did cry – while also looking around to make sure no one was watching,” he said.

The actor also recalled that he survived almost entirely on Parle-G biscuits during his struggle period. “I survived on Parle-G biscuits. Whenever I eat Parle-G even today, it takes me back to Delhi – breakfast, lunch, dinner, it was all Parle-G. Even now, if I eat it, it makes me feel like I have nothing. The taste still brings a lot of pain,” he said.