Mumbai: Directed by Sudhir Mishra, the movie is an adaptation of author Manu Joseph’s 2010 novel of the same name. It chronicles the story of an ambitious underachiever who capitalises on his son’s newfound fame as a boy-genius to improve his family’s fortunes. The film offers a stark commentary on caste discrimination and upper class privilege through its protagonist Ayyan Mani (Siddiqui), a Tamil dalit, who keeps challenging the system which has oppressed people for generations.
“It is such a local character, that a (reflection) of every Indian can be seen in him. It is a real character with qualities to be found in everyone, which is why it feels so personal. To digest the reality, however, is difficult,” the 46-year-old actor told PTI. Mani’s means to turn around the system for the betterment of his family might not necessarily be “ideal”, but Siddiqui believes that society doesn’t function on idealism.
“We want everything to be ideal, even our films to be idealistic with the hero doing something great in the end. But there’s nothing idealistic in a society. The film is real. The novel, film and the character is extremely local and hence has a global appeal.”
“Serious Men” marks Siddiqui’s first collaboration with Mishra, who has helmed acclaimed films like “Hazaaron Khwaishein Aisi”, “Dharavi” and “Chameli”.
Released on Netflix on Friday, Siddiqui’s performance in the film is already being considered one of his finest and the 46-year-old actor credits Mishra’s skilful guidance for the work. “I enjoyed playing Ayyan Mani immensely. The way he was written, the kind of freedom I got from Sudhir sir, the track that he led me on, it made me feel the man is somewhere me. All I had to do was just play him then.”
Mani has been brought to life by Siddiqui not only through silences but a hurried, restless body language.
The actor said Mani had to be given a certain “physicality” as the character believes he’s carrying the world with him, never existing in isolation.
