Nowadays news is coming that many relatives of Nawazuddin Siddiqui are coming forward to demand a share in his earnings and property. His wife has filed a case against him, brother has demanded his rights. Sunita Chauhan is a producer who knows the initial days of this artist who reached zero to peak (from rented house to bungalow). Sunita Chauhan has been associated with the film industry as a production executive for several films – she first signed Nawaz as a hero for one of her short films. Here is a glimpse of his memories.

“There are two sides to any success. Nawazuddin Siddiqui needs no introduction today. He is a big star of Bollywood today. But, in some of his films from his struggling days (Sarfarosh, Pipli Live, Munna Bhai MBBS, etc. It was difficult to predict until the making of feature films) that this man would one day become the favorite star of Hindi films. It is about those days when I was making a short film. Nawazuddin Siddiqui was the main character of the short film “Safar”. “Nawaz was surprised to hear that I am taking him as the ‘hero’ of my film,” recalls Sunita Chauhan.

“I had no idea then that a lean boy, who had moved out of a chawl to live in a one-room house with four other boys and quit his job as a watchman in a store, would one day become the face of big films.
Sunita explains. “His big films have come only after the making of my short film ‘Safar’, so I know after how much struggle Nawaz has achieved his position! And has got his luxurious bungalow built in Bollywood city that bungalow which is probably the second biggest bungalow in Bollywood after Shah Rukh Khan.”

The short film “Safar” has been appreciated in many film festivals in India and abroad including Kalaghoda Film Festival. Whose story and direction were by Kalim Khan. Produced under the banner of Apple Entertainment, the film stars Nawazuddin Siddiqui, Shahnawaz Shah (who passed away recently), Dharam Gupta, Swet Sinha, Sunita, etc. The film was shot at various locations in Mumbai including Andheri, Juhu, and Versova, It was done at four bungalows, etc. Producer Sunita Chauhan has been associated with film production. The entire shooting of the film ‘Ratrani’, ‘Bal Brahmachari’ and the Punjabi serial has been done under his supervision. So when he started the production of “Safar” under his banner Apple, he auditioned many faces for the lead role and the finalist was Nawaz.

The story of ‘Safar’ is of an auto driver and spans a day. Nawazuddin Siddiqui plays the auto driver. First, a loving couple sits in their auto rickshaw. They talk of love we do. They think that the driver does not know anything and they are carefree and live in their fun. When they get off, the driver smiles. A romantic song plays in the background. After they get down, an old lady gets into the rickshaw. Both of them curse their sons. ‘Taught them, made them grow up, didn’t spare any effort in their upbringing and they have thrown us out of the house!’ After they get down, a poster of Amitabh Bachchan and Hema Malini’s film ‘Baghwan’ appears on the wall. After them, a bar dancer girl sits in the auto, and shouts to one of her customers on the phone – ‘Saala paisa nahi deta.’ There also the poster of the film is visible on the wall.

Later, a mature age lover and their girlfriend sit in the rickshaw. The woman talks to her husband on the phone that she is in an important meeting and will be late to return. Feed the children. There also a movie poster on the wall is seen telling the story. At last the auto driver Nawazuddin returns home in his chair at night. His mother is watching TV, and says- ‘Get my glasses made.’ When he sleeps, the things of the day go on in his mind. Seeing himself with those women in the dream. Their wife wakes him up and says- ‘Why don’t you go to work?’

Sunita Chauhan says – “Nawaz used to be very thin at that time. The auto driver’s shirt which we had ordered, seemed to be hanging on a peg when he wore it. It seemed as if he did not eat food. The same Nawazuddin Siddiqui When one watches his later films (Gangs of Wasseypur, Kahaani, Raat Akeli Hai, Bajrangi Bhi Jaan, Manjhi, Babu Mosai Bandookbaaz etc.), he has changed completely. But no, on the ground this man has not changed nor has he forgotten anything.” Sunita Chauhan recalls. “When we approached Nawaz for a film recently, he asked about me with surprise and said- ‘ Madam, I have not forgotten anything.’ Safar’ was that short but meaningful film – which taught me the trick of life’, One should really learn from Nawazuddin to navigate the journey of life! He is an inspiration for struggling artists! Today, those who are demanding a share in Nawaz’s success, I wish they could understand Nawaz too!