Meet the Singham of customs

As Nawaz reunites with Serious Men producers to front biopic on customs officer Fernandes, sources say actor to be seen in gallant and larger-than-life avatar

Serious Men (2020) is one of the definitive films in Nawazuddin Siddiqui’s career as it earned him not only acclaim, but also a Best Actor nomination at the International Emmy Awards in 2021. Three years after the satire, the actor has reunited with Sejal Shah and Bhavesh Mandalia, who served as producers on it. This time around, the trio has teamed up for a biopic on customs officer Costao Fernandes. mid-day has learnt that the yet-untitled movie, which has been written by Mandalia and is being helmed by Shah, is currently being shot in Goa. 

The thriller is set in the ’90s, focusing on some key cases of Fernandes’ life, including gold-smuggling cases. Sources tell us that Siddiqui kicked off the shoot in Mumbai on October 26. “In the first leg, Nawaz and his co-star Priya Bapat filmed some dramatic scenes. In the ongoing Goa schedule, the director is focusing on action and chase sequences,” says a source. After Goa, the team will return to Mumbai and commence the final schedule by December-end.

Shah, who also worked on Asur and Decoupled (2021) along with Mandalia, is keen to present the leading man—primarily known for his unconventional roles—in a new light. With the biopic, she will showcase him as a larger-than-life hero, a suave law enforcement officer who handled high-profile cases. The source adds, “This movie is envisioned as an out-and-out thriller with action and songs. Nawaz’s character is written as a heroic protagonist, along the lines of Bajirao Singham, Rohit Shetty’s hero from the Singham franchise.”

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