Nawazuddin Siddiqui's 'I'm Not an Actor' set for Cinequest debut
What's the story
Nawazuddin Siddiqui and Chitrangada Satarupa's upcoming film I'm Not an Actor will have its global premiere at the 2025 Cinequest Film Festival in California this March, reported Variety.
Produced by Mumba Devi Motion Pictures, it is directed by Aditya Kripalani.
The Hindi and English-language drama follows a disheartened actor in Mumbai who spends a day teaching acting over video calls to a "depressed recently retired banker" in Frankfurt.
Filming approach
Unconventional filming technique used in 'I'm Not an Actor'
The film was shot simultaneously in India and Germany over 28 days, with Siddiqui and Satarupa performing their scenes live via video chat.
Kripalani opted for this unique approach to capture authentic video call interactions between the characters.
Despite challenging weather conditions and a 4.5-hour time difference between locations, the production successfully executed this innovative filming technique.
Actor's experience
Siddiqui's role and production challenges in 'I'm Not an Actor'
Siddiqui, who also serves as a producer through his Side Hero Entertainment, found his role intriguing. He stated, "The idea of me playing a banker who learns acting was exciting from the start."
However, the production faced unique challenges due to its intercontinental live shooting approach.
Siddiqui noted that while he was freezing at 2 degrees [in Frankfurt], in India sometimes due to extreme heat the cameras would overheat and we'd have to stop shooting for hours."
Co-star's journey
Satarupa's experience and film's future plans
Satarupa called her experience both challenging and rewarding. She said, "Balancing the logistical complexities while staying true to the character, and shooting in the intense Mumbai heat at real locations - sometimes even guerrilla-style - was no easy feat."
After its global premiere, producer Sweta Chhabria confirmed European, UK, and Asian premieres for the film. The team also hopes for a limited theatrical release in India, followed by a streaming platform release.