Nawazuddin’s casting director: Never used the words ‘fair and handsome’

Racial discrimination in Bollywood is a dominant trend that refuses to fade away anytime soon. It is often shocking to see how our preset idea of a ‘good-looking’ person often overcomes our admiration for his talent. Hence, when Nawazuddin Siddiqui revealed on Twitter how ‘someone specific’ considered him incapable of being paired opposite a ‘fair and handsome’ actor, we were shocked.

It later came out that Nawaz’s reaction was on Sanjay Chauhan, the casting director of ‘Babumoshai Bandookbaaz’ who allegedly stated, “We can’t cast fair and handsome people with Nawaz. It would look so weird. You have to take people with distinct features and personalities when pairing them with him.”

Chauhan, however, rubbishes making any such statement and says he never uttered the two words ‘fair’ and ‘handsome’. (Also Read: Nawazuddin Siddiqui shines in the rustic trailer of ‘Babumoshai Bandookbaaz’)

“I was completely misquoted. All I said was the film needed actors as good as Nawazuddin. You need actors who could match his stature. I don’t know from where the ‘fair and handsome’ bit came but I never said the words,” he told a news agency.

He added that he would never want to hurt Nawaz and was ‘deeply saddened’ with how he was quoted with things he didn’t even say.

Let us see if the clarifications are accepted by the right person!

Ranjini Maitra

Journalist. Writer. Reader. Enthu cutlet. Mood-swing machine. Day dreamer. Sandwiched between ‘live life fully’ and ‘lose some weight’. Mantra of life: Love and love more.