New Delhi: What are the trademarks of a successful villain? The over-the-top outfit? The catch-phrase? The evil laugh? Loud, booming, threatening personality?
While there may by many theories for and against each answer, we were pleasantly surprised to see Nawazuddin Siddiqui in a very atypical role -- both for him, as well as in the shoes of an arch-nemesis.
The following section contains spoilers for the film 'Kick'
Siddiqui portrays the role of a powerful politicians egotistical nephew, Shiv Gajra. As the chief bad guy in the film, Siddiqui is almost perfect with his understated look, creepy laugh and -- wait for it -- a 'catch noise'.
You heard it. Siddiqui makes a loud, popping noise with his tongue at the end of some particularly clever repartee or some vicious statement.
Siddiqui gets under the skin of this somewhat sketchily-written character with finesse. He barks out a manic laugh every now and then, behaves in a deplorable manner towards the needy and even slaps harmless tailors. In one particular scene, after choking a man to death using bubble-wrap, he absent-mindedly starts popping the bubbles on the same sheet, even as it is wrapped around the dead man's head.
Looking at Siddiqui's immensely varied performances so far -- be it 'Patang', 'Gangs of Wasseypur - Part 2', or 'The Lunchbox' -- it is clear that he is an actor of calibre.
Which is why we were surprised when we found out that he was going to be a part of a Salman Khan movie. We had always imagined that his rooted, realistic roles and Salman's peppy, clearly-intended-for-the-masses style of films were spheres that did not touch.
But with this role, Siddiqui has convinced the masses that he's not only a favourite of the artsy, meaningful cinema-goers, but also of the more 'desi', loud, and generous audiences.
We can't wait to see more of him mainstream 'masala' flicks, now.
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