Actor Nawazuddin Siddiqui, who is next set to appear in 'Tumbbad 2', has spoken at length about what convinced him that his 15-year-old daughter Shora was ready to hold her own on stage — and why he deliberately chose to throw her in at the deep end.

A Demanding Debut in 'Naqaab'

Nawazuddin cast Shora in his one-and-a-half-hour stage production 'Naqaab', handing her what he describes as the biggest role in the play. She remained on stage from the opening scene to the final curtain, carrying the most dialogue of any cast member — a formidable ask for a teenager with no prior formal training.

'I always wanted her to work with me on a play where I could give her a really difficult role,' Nawazuddin said. 'I gave her the biggest role in it. She was on stage right from the beginning until the very end, and had the most dialogues. She is only 15, so I knew it would be a difficult task for her. I told her, 'If you are really fond of acting, then come and act alongside me in this play',' he added.

First Show in Chicago: Nerves and Relief

The production's opening night was staged in Chicago, a detail Nawazuddin acknowledges added to his anxiety. Unlike film sets, live theatre offers no safety net — no retakes, no post-production corrections.

'When the first show was scheduled in Chicago, I was really worried about whether she would be able to pull it off. I kept thinking, what if she forgets her lines? You cannot have retakes in a play. But the moment she came on stage and started performing, she killed it. She did a wonderful job. After that, we went on to do nine shows,' he said.

Nine Shows and a Father's Pride

The run of nine shows across the tour served as both a trial by fire and a resounding affirmation. For Nawazuddin — widely regarded as one of Hindi cinema's most accomplished character actors — the experience appears to have been as personally significant as any of his own performances.

He noted that Shora's stage exposure now gives her a practical foundation that most aspiring actors spend years trying to acquire through formal classes alone.

What's Next for Shora

'Now I am happy that once she finishes her studies, if she decides to take acting classes or undergo formal training, I will be very happy. Of course, I will make sure she gets the right training, because she has already experienced what it is like to perform on stage and has practically done it,' Nawazuddin said.

With Nawazuddin's own profile set to rise further when 'Tumbbad 2' releases, the spotlight on his family — and on Shora's nascent career — is only likely to grow.