Nawazuddin Siddiqui dismisses divorce rumours, says he is happily married

Nawazuddin Siddiqui with wife Aaliya and kids in a picture that she shared on Facebook on their anniversary

Nawazuddin Siddiqui with wife Aaliya and kids in a picture that she shared on Facebook on their anniversary

Last week, Nawazuddin Siddiqui sent a notice to a film glossy for insinuating that his marriage had hit a rocky patch and he was involved with another woman. The 'trouble in paradise' rumours have been doing the rounds for a while, but the actor scoffs at them.

"I guess it [rumours] comes with stardom. They are ridiculous. We are happily married. We are parents to our wonderful kids. She has seen me through highs and lows. People write whatever suits their sensational tastes. I am learning to laugh these things off," he says, during an interview for the promotions of his upcoming film, Nandita Das' biopic on legendary writer Saadat Hasan Manto.

Last Friday, Nawaz's wife attempted to shut out negativity around their marriage on their wedding anniversary by posting: "All these years, you have been amazing. As a dad to our kids and as my lover, I have been happy in your arms and I could see that we'll be happier for the rest for our lives."

Steering the conversation to his film, Nawaz says he has got approval of Manto's daughters with his close-to-original look. "Nandita is on a hotline with his daughters, Nighat, Nusrat and Nuzhat. They felt I have picked up Manto's physicality. I have felt close to his spirit since my National School of Drama days. I have performed on his plays."

If Manto were alive today, he wouldn't be any less controversial, says Nawaz. "He was an honest man, who wrote from his experiences. The biopic focuses on him as a man and his inherent talent of storywriting. He was inspirational figure, but equally arrogant."