Nawazuddin Siddiqui worked for free in 'Manto'? Know more lesser-known facts

Nawazuddin Siddiqui starrer Manto is a biographical drama flick based on the Urdu author Saadat Hasan Manto. The Indian biopic is helmed by Nandita Das. Apart from the notable performance of Nawazuddin Siddiqui, Manto also features Tahir Raj Bhasin as the 1940s Bollywood superstar Shyam Chadda and Rasika Dugal as Manto's wife, Safia.

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Manto is has earned seven nominations at 64th Filmfare Awards including Best Film Critics, Best Actor Critics for Nawazuddin Siddiqui. The film is based on the 1940s post-Independence period of India. Check out the film's lesser-known facts and a few trivia. 

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• According to IMDB reports, Nawazuddin Siddiqui worked for free in this biography of Saadat Hasan Manto.
• Reportedly, the film was earlier offered to Irrfan Khan as he speaks fluent Urdu and looks a lot like Manto. 
• Nandita Das and Nawazuddin Siddiqui also have worked together in a short film titled In Defence of Freedom. The film was released on YouTube on March 23, 2017.
• Manto was also premiered at the 2018 Cannes Film Festival.
• The Indian drama was not only premiered at the Cannes but also was selected to compete in the Un Certain Regard section at the 2018 Cannes Film Festival. 
• Nawazuddin Siddiqui has starred in several biopics like Thackarey, Manjhi. 

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• The film also stars Javed Akhtar. 
• The biopic premises of Manto's life during pre-partition and post-partition India and his life subsequent to migration to Pakistan till his death in 1955.
• Manto is produced by several production houses like HP Studios, Filmstoc, and Viacom 18 Motion Pictures.
• Nawazuddin Siddiqui Manto's shooting continued for 41 days before reaching its endpoint in July 2017. 
• The 2018's release is also claimed as an adaptation of Pakistani movie with the same name Manto released in 2015.
• According to IMDB, the flick was made as a preface to the feature film.

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