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Nawazuddin Siddiqui & Randeep Hooda: Representing the New Face of Indie and Indian Cinema

I was watching Highway upon its release in one of the last remaining single screen theatres of Karolbagh and it was a surreal moment. Location had something to do with it definitely but it had to do something Randeep Hooda and Alia Bhatt as well. Probably, that was the moment when I started imagining Alia peeping Parineeti out on the finish line in next decade. But hasn't Alia already done that? Parineeti, still my favorite, is nowhere to be seen. But what about the Burly Hooda? Through his sheer hard work and all the qualities that make a man of iron, he has crafted a niche of his own. Highway was a high point in his career but nobody really talked about him. Just one month ago this year, Laal Rang followed. He does Indie films like Junkie and very often, he helps them to uplift their portfolio. Now Sarabjit is coming out and once again, Indian media is talking not about him but Aishwarya Rai Bachchan. He shall not only surpass her but that powerful actor in Richa Chaddha too, I'm sure. Then next month, Do Lafzon Ki Kahani is coming out with Kajal Aggarwal in lead with him and from its first look, it's looking a spectacularly melancholic, heart wrenching film. I just happened to watch the trailer of TE3N and its first song, Haq Hai and I have never seen Amitabh Bachchan that heartbroken in a long, long time or perhaps after Mahesh Manjrekar's Viruddha. Nawazuddin Siddiqui and Vidya Balan were there too. Awesome. Then a story on Nawaz's inspiring journey as an actor followed. This man did street plays for a no of years in New and Old Delhi and became a much sought after actor in Delhi theater circuit but Mumbai and Bollywood didn't come calling. Anurag Kashyap's Black Friday (1 min role) and Kabir Khan's New York (a 2 min monologue) happened. People started taking notice. Gangs of Wasseypur. Stop. OMG. Cannes. Standing Ovations. Miss Lovely. Fully Blown. Badlapur. Oh, he swallowed everyone. Raman Raghav 2.0; Cannes, Another Standing Ovation.

Now you see Nawaz and Hooda every year. Perhaps two-three times a year. They always belonged to Mumbai but they matter more now. But without any 'perhaps' and 'probably', they certainly deserve a three fingers royal salute from me. We all owe them that for They are the living, breathing specimen of that indomitable human spirit. They always were and still are UNBREAKABLE!!!!!

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