From laughing stock to star: Chand Nawab's story
Nawazuddin Siddiqui's role in Bajrangi Bhaijaan, inspired from Chand Nawab, made Nawab a star
LAHORE: (Web Desk) – Chand Nawab is a Karachi-based reporter working in a private news channel. Once a laughing stock for a funny video of him uploaded on Youtube, Nawab is a star today being interviewed by international media outlets like Hindustan Times and Gulf News.
Some six years back, Chand Nawab had done a P2C, or Piece-to-Camera, for a private news channel from Karachi Railway station. As the passersby repeatedly interfered in his P2C, he eventually resorted to calling them names after failing to shoo the people from the scene. Doing his best to somehow complete the P2C before the train leaves, Nawab almost lost his cool as the train started to slowly move on. His colleagues uploaded the video on the Youtube as a prank and it almost immediately got viral.
Six years later, the video is such a big hit that it was even copied by Kabir Khan directorial ‘Bajrangi Bhaijaan’ in which Nawazuddin Siddiqui has played the role of a Pakistani reported and has done a complete scene inspired by the event.
Chand Nawab was startled to know that his video had made it to that point when a Salman Khan starrer movie was going to copy the scene almost word-by-word. In a TV interview, Nawab said that he was too happy about the video now though he had initially thought of it as something that would hamper his career as a reporter. However, the role played by Nawazuddin Siddiqui has not only made him an overnight star but also provided him with a chance to meet the Bollywood’s mega star Salman Khan as Salman said in a recent interview that he wants to meet Nawab.
Chand Nawab, on the other hand, has decided to demand compensation for the scene. He said on Friday that he would request Salman Khan, who is also the producer of the movie, to offer him something as a compensation for the character used by the movie-makers, inspired by him.
In an interview to Gulf News, Nawab said that he is a poor man and cannot afford to go into a legal battle but will ask Salman for compensation during his meeting with the Indian star. He said that he won’t be suing the filmmakers for the scene but will request compensation only.
Hoping for the best out of the situation, Chand Nawab has not only requested a compensation from the makers of Bajrangi Bhaijaan but he also believes that this video may break the shackles for him and “bring a new beginning to my (Nawab’s) career”. He misses his wife though. In his interview to Hindustan Times, Chand Nawab said that he wished his wife lived long enough to see this day.
"Riffat was a doctor and she inspired me a lot. She would always stand by me", he said. Nawab s wife had died last year. Recalling his video-leak days, Nawab said that he seriously felt that it would hamper his career but the friends and family, especially his wife, convinced him that he had nothing to worry and all will get fine with time.
As it has turned out, it has all got fine. In fact it has got much better than he would have ever thought. Bajrangi Bhaijaan is a massive hit and might have changed the fortunes of an unlikely star too. He might have been a laughing stock some years back but, with a mega star like Salman Khan waiting to meet him, Chand Nawab is a star today.
