Tempted though he may have been to take on the challenge of playing a transgender person in Haddi, Nawazuddin Siddiqui admits that he was also apprehensive about learning the intricacies that would be required to play the part. “It was a tough film, as far as the screenplay was concerned. I had the desire to play this part, so I said yes. But I thought about whether or not people would understand the [complexities of] the screenplay,” says the actor, who has been receiving praise for his act in the Akshat Ajay Sharma-directed venture. 

Reflecting on the choices he made to play his character authentically, Siddiqui adds, “I was conscious about what not to do—make fun of the community. I had to [comprehend] their soul. We wanted the representation to be accurate and authentic. When we wear a woman’s attire, we start making fun of the get-up. We don’t delve deeper. While we wanted to stay away from stereotypical mannerisms, we didn’t want [the narrative] to be preachy.”