Actor Nawazuddin Siddiqui has made some startling revelations about being treated in a discriminatory manner in his village because of his caste.
The star of movies like ‘Raees’ and ‘Gangs Of Wasseypur’ – has often been referred to as the ‘best talent of his generation’, has revealed that despite all his success and fame, things haven’t quite changed for him back home.
Speaking to NDTV, the Maanji star stated:
“In my own family, my grandmother was from a lower caste. Even today, they have not accepted us because of my grandmother.”
His comments had come in relation to the alleged gang-rape of a low-caste woman in Hathras, that shook the nation a few weeks ago:
“What is wrong is wrong. Our artiste community is also speaking out against what happened in Hathras. It is very important to speak out. It is a very unfortunate incident.”
He further added:
“The fact that I am famous doesn’t matter to them. It is deeply entrenched within them…it is in their veins. They consider it their pride. The Sheikh Siddiquis are the upper caste, and they will not have anything to do with those they consider beneath them. Even today it is there. It is very difficult.”
Caste-related discrimination is still very much prevalent in India, and it still seems to linger-on generation from generation, despite all the educational measures that have been taken over the years.
And your success and fame might not even grant any exemption from that, it seems.