Ever since the Indian adaptation of the popular American series ‘House MD’ was announced with Nawazuddin Siddiqui, fans have been eagerly waiting to see him step into the shoes of Hugh Laurie, who plays the iconic character. In an exclusive interview with India Today, the actor opened up about being part of the show, and also revealed how he is yet to watch the series.
When asked if he feels pressure to headline such a mega show, Nawazuddin smiled to decline, saying he never does that for any project. Talking further about starring in the Indian adaptation of ‘House MD’, he said, “It’s a very popular show, but I haven’t watched it yet. We still have time before we get into it, but I don’t even want to watch it. I am trying hard to stay away from it because I don’t want to get influenced.”
Nawazuddin further said, “I have watched some clippings from the show, and everyone has done such amazing work. But main bachna chah raha hoon (I want to stay oblivious to it). When you watch such a good performance, you tend to get influenced and start copying it. I would never want to do it.”
The actor is currently basking in the success of ‘Costao,’ his Zee5 film based on the real-life story of a customs officer by the same name. Drawing a parallel to the character, Nawazuddin said that, like him, he too is driven by passion. He has been working tirelessly without expectations of rewards or awards.
“When you start expecting something, if it doesn’t happen, you feel low and depressed. When you are driven by passion, nothing else matters. Art is something that cannot be bound by expectations. Of course, you want to reach more and more people, but it’s never for validation,” he said.
When asked if that meant he had never hoped for an award, the actor smiled to say, “Jis tarah ka standard ho gaya hai, mile na mile but ek shaam acchi ho jati hai (The kind of standard it has now, it really doesn’t matter. But you do get to enjoy a fun evening).”
‘Costao’ is currently streaming on Zee5. Indian adaptation of ‘House MD’ is expected to premiere on JioHotstar.