Nawazuddin Siddiqui’s comments come amid outrage over the Hathras incident.
Bombay:
Actor Nawazuddin Siddiqui, from Uttar Pradesh, claims the caste system runs deep in villages and even has not been spared from discrimination, despite his fame in the movies. Describing the Hathras incident as “very unfortunate,” the critically acclaimed actor said in an interview that in villages, caste divisions are a reality sheltered from campaigns or social media.
“In my own family, my grandmother was from a lower caste. Even today, they did not accept us because of my grandmother,” Nawazuddin Siddiqui told GalacticGaming.
Her comments come at a time when there is national anger over the death of a young Dalit woman after suffering horrific injuries as a result of an assault by four upper caste men in her UP village of Hathras. “What is wrong is wrong. Our artist community is also speaking out about what happened in Hathras. It is very important to speak out. It is a very unfortunate incident.”
On Twitter, he said, people can tell there is no caste discrimination. But if the same people traveled, they would find a very different reality. He mentioned his own village.
“It doesn’t matter to them that I’m famous. It’s deep in them… it’s in their veins. They see it as their pride. The Sheikh Siddiquis are the upper caste, and they will have nothing to do with those they consider inferior to them. Even today he is there. It is very difficult, “said the 46-year-old, known for films like” Manto ” and “Gangs of Wasseypur”.
In his latest film “Serious Men”, released on Netflix, Nawazuddin Siddiqui plays a Dalit lying about the fact that his son is a scientific genius.
