Nawazuddin Siddiqui: Script of Thackeray sequel is being worked on

Denying rumours that Thackeray sequel has been shelved, Nawazuddin Siddiqui asserts part two of the biopic will go on floors in due time.

Even before the Nawazuddin Siddiqui-starrer Thackeray hit screens in January, producer Sanjay Raut had announced that the biopic on Balasaheb Thackeray, the late Shiv Sena supremo, would be a two-part affair. The filmmaker had reasoned that it would be a challenge to sum up the life of the leader — who was charismatic and controversial in equal measure — in one film. However, of late, rumours have been rife that the sequel to the Abhijit Panse-directed venture has been shelved.

Broach the subject with Siddiqui, who counts his turn as Thackeray amongst his most defining roles, and he assures that the team is making steady progress on the script of the second instalment. "The initial idea was to make the film in two parts, so, the question of shelving it doesn't arise at all. Also, the first film received a good response. The script is currently being worked on. I had spoken to Sanjay Raut a few months ago and he assured me that the second part will be made," he smiles. However, the actor refuses to put a timeline to the project. "They [the makers] were busy with the elections, and I am tied up with my movies. Playing the character would require me to get into the mould again. So, it will take some time before we set the ball rolling."

Nawazuddin Siddiqui. Pic/ PTI

Siddiqui, who is known for his proclivity to the gritty cinema, will next be seen in the romantic comedy, Motichoor Chaknachoor, that also features Athiya Shetty. The actor explains that greenlighting light-hearted films are a calculated move to reach out to a wider audience base. "Most of my films are A-rated. So, the family audience cannot watch them, nor can my daughter [Shora]. So, I am actively doing films that she can watch. My next, Bole Chudiyan, directed by my brother, is in a similar space."

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