EXCLUSIVE: Nawazuddin Siddiqui Reflects On His Unforgettable Kick Character Shiv Gajra; Reveals Who Inspired His Sinister Laugh

As Kick completes 12 years, one of its most celebrated performances remains Nawazuddin Siddiqui’s unforgettable portrayal of Shiv Gajra. Widely regarded as one of Bollywood’s most distinctive villains, the character stood out for its chilling unpredictability, dark humour, and unforgettable mannerisms. On the film’s anniversary, the versatile actor revealed to Bollywood Bubble the inspiration behind Shiv’s iconic tongue click and sinister laugh.

How Nawazuddin Siddiqui Crafted One of Bollywood’s Most Memorable Villains In Kick

Ruthless, slightly unhinged, and impossible to predict, Shiv Gajra brought a unique psychological edge to Kick. Standing opposite Salman Khan, Nawazuddin delivered one of the film’s most memorable hero-villain dynamics. The iconic actor balanced menace with dark humour through his chilling dialogue delivery, signature tongue click, and eerie high-pitched laugh, making Shiv one of Bollywood’s most memorable antagonists.

Reflecting on the character’s unforgettable quirks, Nawazuddin Siddiqui shared, “The tongue-clicking sound was actually one of the nuances we used to incorporate often during our theatre days. As for the sinister laugh you see in Kick, it was inspired by Manoj Bajpayee’s performance in Aks. I was fascinated by the character he played in that film and observed it very closely. So yes, I drew some inspiration from that portrayal, but also added my own touch to make it unique and more engaging for the audience.”

The revelation reflects Nawazuddin Siddiqui’s craft as a performer. Renowned for disappearing into every role, he fused his theatre background with his creative instincts to create an antagonist whose psychological unpredictability and dark wit remain unforgettable.

Nawazuddin’s Career

Twelve years later, Shiv Gajra continues to stand among Nawazuddin Siddiqui’s most celebrated performances. The actor’s interesting lineup includes projects such as Thamma 2, Tumbbad 2, Blind Babu, and Section 108.

About Kick

Released in 2014, Kick was directed and produced by Sajid Nadiadwala under the Nadiadwala Grandson Entertainment banner. It starred Salman Khan, Jacqueline Fernandez, Randeep Hooda and Nawazuddin Siddiqui in the lead roles. Mithun Chakraborty, Archana Puran Singh, Saurabh Shukla, Sumona Chakravarti and Vipin Sharma, among other made up the film’s secondary cast. A remake of the 2009 Telugu film of the same, Kick amassed over Rs 400 crore gross at the worldwide box office.

A sequel – titled Kick 2, with the same cast and crew is currently under development.

For more news and updates from the entertainment world, stay tuned to Bollywood Bubble.

Also Read: EXCLUSIVE: Rahul Dev Questions Bollywood’s Obsession With Actors Having ‘Six-Pack’; Points, “Nawazuddin Siddiqui Ka Nahi Hai, Magar…”

Grinell Jacinto

With nearly 10 years of experience, Grinell Esther Jacinto is the Desk Head of Bollywood Bubble. Her interests lie in everything that is kaleshi and she loves to dig deeper into the lives of B-town actors. She has a problem though – she loves horror films but will have chills the minute the theatres lights dims. She’s previously worked with Koimoi, UrbanAsian and SpotboyE.