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Nawazuddin Siddiqui Biography: Age, Career, Family and More

F4U Editorial Desk • Updated September 12, 2026 • 6 min read

Quick Info

Date of birth19 May 1974

Age51 Years

BirthplaceBudhana, Muzaffarnagar, Uttar Pradesh, India

ProfessionActor

NationalityIndian

Marital statusDivorced

SpouseAnjali Kishor Pandey (aka Aaliya) (m. 2010; div. 2023)

FamilySon - Yaani; Daughter - Shora; Father - Late Nawabuddin Siddiqui; Mother - Mehroonisa; Brother - Shamas Nawab Siddiqui

Nawazuddin Siddiqui Biography

Nawazuddin Siddiqui is an Indian actor from Budhana, Muzaffarnagar, known for a persistent rise from small parts and theatre to award-winning performances.

Early life and background

Nawazuddin Siddiqui was born on 19 May 1974 in Budhana, Muzaffarnagar, Uttar Pradesh. He is the eldest of nine siblings and grew up in a rural household; his father worked as a farmer and also ran a wood-cutting machine. Electricity was scarce in his village during his childhood, and he completed his schooling at B. S. S. Inter College in Budhana.

After school he moved to Haridwar to study chemistry at Gurukul Kangri University, where he took part in extracurricular activities including declamation, painting and drama. He later enrolled at the National School of Drama in New Delhi, a training ground that prepared him for a professional acting career.

Career

Siddiqui’s screen debut was a small role in the 1999 film Sarfarosh. In the early years he took on a sequence of minor and often stereotypical parts, including brief appearances such as a pickpocket in Munna Bhai M.B.B.S. He also worked in television, appearing in Parsai Kehte Hain on DD National in 2001, but widespread success did not arrive overnight.

During his period of struggle he supported himself with a variety of jobs. He worked at a chemist shop in Vadodara, spent time as a theatre watchman in Delhi to make ends meet, and faced stretches of little or no work after moving to Mumbai in 2004. He shared a flat with four others and stayed with an NSD senior in return for cooking meals during particularly tough times.

Persistence and craft ultimately led to recognition. Siddiqui won a Special Jury Award at the 2012 National Film Awards for a body of work that included performances in Talaash: The Answer Lies Within, Kahaani, Gangs of Wasseypur and Dekh Indian Circus. The following year he was honored with the Filmfare Award for Best Supporting Actor for his role in The Lunchbox. These accolades acknowledged his transition from background roles to complex, memorable characters in mainstream and independent Indian cinema.

Public profile

Siddiqui’s personal life and legal matters have attracted public attention alongside his film work. He was married in 2010 to Anjali Kishor Pandey (also referred to as Aaliya or Anjana); the marriage ended in divorce in 2023. He has two children, a son named Yaani and a daughter named Shora. His extended family includes parents Nawabuddin Siddiqui (deceased) and Mehroonisa, a brother Shamas Nawab Siddiqui who is a filmmaker, and other siblings.

He identifies culturally with Islam and is described as Sunni. Siddiqui’s background and life story often come up in discussions about his career trajectory: raised in a rural environment, educated in chemistry, trained at NSD, and dedicated to acting despite years of hardship.

Siddiqui’s lifestyle details reflected in public reports include a preference for non-vegetarian food, reported tobacco and alcohol use, and hobbies such as flying kites, watching films and farming. He owns properties and vehicles noted in public records, including a one-bedroom flat in Andheri West and a sea-facing apartment in Versova, as well as a bungalow in Mumbai completed in January 2022 that he designed and named after his father.

Controversies and legal matters have also featured in his public narrative. Allegations related to his memoir prompted him to withdraw the book shortly after its release. Disputes with former partners and a series of legal actions involving his estranged wife received media attention. A complaint was filed in relation to a promotional advertisement in 2023, which led the brand involved to withdraw a regional version of the campaign.

Latest updates

Reports indicate that in March 2024 Siddiqui and his estranged wife reconciled and decided to live together for the sake of their children. Earlier legal actions and counterclaims between the parties were publicly reported, and there were discussions about settlements in 2023.

Across his career, Nawazuddin Siddiqui’s story has been framed by perseverance: formal training at NSD, years of steady but limited work, and eventual recognition through national awards and industry honors. That arc—from small parts and theatre to celebrated screen performances—remains central to his public image.
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Recent Work

Parsai Kehte Hain

Television appearance on DD National

2001
Sarfarosh

Film debut (small role)

1999
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Career Highlights

  1. Film debut in Sarfarosh (1999)
  2. Television appearance in Parsai Kehte Hain (2001)
  3. 2012 National Film Awards Special Jury Award for a group of films including Talaash, Kahaani and Gangs of Wasseypur
  4. 2013 Filmfare Award for Best Supporting Actor for The Lunchbox
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Frequently Asked Questions

When was Nawazuddin Siddiqui born?

19 May 1974

What is Nawazuddin Siddiqui known for?

Actor

What is Nawazuddin Siddiqui’s marital status?

Divorced

Who is Nawazuddin Siddiqui married to?

Anjali Kishor Pandey (aka Aaliya) (m. 2010; div. 2023)