Nawazuddin Siddiqui to Play Delhi Street Detective in 'Kabootar'

By Marcus Bennett

Nawazuddin Siddiqui will lead "Kabootar," the debut feature from writer-director Ishan Sharma, with principal photography set to begin in Delhi in early 2027. The film unites three countries: MDC Filmworks in India, Haiku Films in France and Rein Film in Norway, with Rohit Saxena co-producing on the Indian side. Nikhil Chaudhary produces for MDC Filmworks.

Set among the crumbling architecture of Old Delhi, "Kabootar" follows Mehboob, a street detective who secretly reads letters written to a Djinn in search of prospective clients. His path crosses with Naoko, a Japanese tourist carrying a painful past, and Ruby, a young child searching for his parents.

Siddiqui is among the most decorated actors of his generation in Indian cinema. He appeared in Anurag Kashyap's "Gangs of Wasseypur," Ritesh Batra's "The Lunchbox" and Nandita Das's "Manto" — all Cannes debuts — and starred in Netflix's thriller series "Sacred Games." He earned an International Emmy nomination for his lead role in Netflix's "Serious Men."

What does the casting mean for the film?

Producer Nikhil Chaudhary said: "Nawaz is an actor of extraordinary range. He can be dangerous in 'Gangs of Wasseypur' and heartbreakingly gentle in 'The Lunchbox.' He's also one of the few Indian actors with a real international presence."

Chaudhary added: "His films have gone to Cannes multiple times, and he has been nominated for an International Emmy. For an India-France-Norway co-production, that matters enormously in taking 'Kabootar' to audiences around the world. Just as important, he knows Delhi intimately. For Ishan and I, this film is a love letter to the city, and we needed an actor who could understand it, feel it and embody it. He does all three."

Sharma, who developed the script through the production and storytelling Workshop at the Festival des 3 Continents in Nantes, said: "Nawaz has been an invisible collaborator to a generation of young writers and directors, myself included. We write with his performances in our minds."

He continued: "'Kabootar' asks something of him that audiences haven't seen before. To have him take that leap with us is a gift. I can't wait to build this world with him."

Casting director Dilip Shankar, whose credits include "Life of Pi" and "Monsoon Wedding," said Siddiqui "will bring Mehboob's eccentric humor, emotional depth and quiet vulnerability to life with rare authenticity."

Shankar added: "The character demands mischief, rage, tenderness and grace. With his rooted presence and remarkable nuance, Nawazuddin embodies Mehboob's essential contradictions. His performance anchors 'Kabootar' in the lived-in, poignant texture of Old Delhi."

Who is making it?

Sharma is a graduate of the Satyajit Ray Film & Television Institute. His short films "The God of Panic Street" (2019) and "A Season of Mangoes" (2022) have played international festivals and won several awards, including the Cinema Experimenta Award.

The production partners bring festival credentials:

• MDC Filmworks has produced five films, including Sanjoy Nag's "Yours Truly," which premiered at Busan, and Rajat Kapoor's "Kadakh," which won best screenplay at Tallinn Black Nights.
• Haiku Films, founded by Thomas Jaeger, Antoine Delahousse and Claire Trinquet, produced "Fi" (Grand Prize, San Sebastián 2022) and co-produced "Treasure" (Berlinale 2024).
• Rein Film, founded by Mathis Ståle Mathisen and Aleksander Olai Korsnes, is known for "My Fathers' Daughter" (Toronto 2024).

Key crew includes cinematographer Udit Khurana ("Bayaan," "Ghaath"), sound designer Sethu Venugopal ("Mother," "Nocturnal Burger") and casting director Shankar.

Where will buyers see it?

The project has been selected for a series of international market showcases:

• Tasveer Film Market in Seattle
• Film Bazaar in Goa, organized by India's National Film Development Corporation (NFDC)
• The NFDC lineup at this year's European Film Market in Berlin

Later this month, Chaudhary will pitch the film in the APN+ Track of the Asian Producers Network in Singapore.

"Kabootar" was curated by CineV, Nina Lath Gupta's platform connecting projects with financiers and investors. With Siddiqui attached and a three-country production structure behind it, the film enters the 2027 production calendar as one to watch on the international market circuit.