Nawazuddin recalls getting blank cheques with 200 scripts after GOW 2

Nawazuddin Siddiqui had spent years taking on small parts and waiting for the kind of role that could change the trajectory of his career. That turning point came with Anurag Kashyap’s ‘Gangs Of Wasseypur 2’ in 2012, with his portrayal of Faizal Khan putting him firmly on the industry’s radar.

Looking back, the actor has now opened up about the dramatic change he witnessed after the film’s release and how he dealt with the sudden rush of offers.Nawazuddin was asked which film first made him feel like a star. He immediately named ‘Gangs Of Wasseypur 2’, and said in an interview with NDTV, “Of course, it has to be Gangs of Wasseypur 2." He recalled that the response to the film translated into an unprecedented number of scripts coming his way.“After the release of Gangs of Wasseypur 2, I received at least 200 scripts. Blank cheques were lying on my table. People would say, ‘Here’s the script, and here’s a blank cheque. Write whatever amount you want and give us whatever dates are available,'" he said.For an actor who had spent years looking for work, the situation could have been an opportunity to sign project after project. However, Nawazuddin chose not to let the sudden attention dictate his decisions.

Despite having hundreds of scripts to consider and even being offered the freedom to name his fee, he turned them all down because he wasn't convinced by the material.“I didn’t pick up a single one of those scripts because I didn’t like any of them. I decided I would wait for the right one," the actor said.The decision meant risking the momentum he had gained, but Nawazuddin was no stranger to waiting. Having spent much of his early career in search of meaningful opportunities, he was willing to be patient rather than commit to a project simply because it came with a lucrative offer.“I was already used to waiting for work for years, so I thought I could wait another two or three years rather than sign something in haste," he recalled.His patience, however, did not cost him the opportunities he was hoping for. “By God’s grace, I didn’t have to wait too long, because I soon started getting some really good films," he added.Released in 2012, ‘Gangs Of Wasseypur 2’ formed the second part of Anurag Kashyap’s sprawling crime saga set in Dhanbad. Against the backdrop of the coal mafia, the film followed the escalating conflict between three crime families, with power, politics and revenge fuelling their decades-long rivalry.