“His Involvement Adds a Very Special Dimension to the Film,” Says Filmmaker Shenpenn Khymsar, Reveals Nawazuddin Siddiqui Didn’t Charge a Fee

Not every Bollywood collaboration comes with a paycheck attached, and according to filmmaker Shenpenn Khymsar, Nawazuddin Siddiqui's involvement in his new film is one of those exceptions.

How Their Friendship Started

Khymsar has known Siddiqui for close to eight years, tracing the friendship back to an introduction from Anurag Kashyap on the sets of Sacred Games. That set relationship grew into what Khymsar describes as a genuine creative partnership, one that eventually led Siddiqui to lend his voice to Khymsar's latest project, Four Rivers Six Ranges.

Why Siddiqui Didn't Charge A Fee

According to Khymsar, Siddiqui agreed to record the film's Hindi voiceover without taking a fee, a gesture Khymsar has credited to the strength of their friendship and Siddiqui's respect for the project itself. Khymsar has said the actor's involvement adds a distinct dimension to the film, and that he remains genuinely grateful Siddiqui chose to be part of it on those terms.

What Four Rivers Six Ranges Is About

The film reconstructs a real chapter of Tibetan history, following the Chushi Gangdruk resistance group's mission to protect the 14th Dalai Lama during his 1959 escape to India, based on Dorjee Wangdi Dewatshang's book Flight at the Cuckoo's Behest. Directed and written by Khymsar himself, the story is told through the perspective of Kunga Samten, a key figure within the resistance group, with Siddiqui narrating the Hindi version to bring the story to a wider mainstream audience.

Their Next Collaboration

The Four Rivers Six Ranges partnership isn't a one-off. Khymsar and Siddiqui are already developing their next project together, Karma – Running to Stand Still, a script built around a role Khymsar has described as unfamiliar territory for the actor. Full casting details for that project haven't been confirmed publicly yet, so any specific claims about who else is attached should be treated as unverified until Khymsar or the production formally announces the cast.

Why This Gesture Stands Out

In an industry where a star of Siddiqui's stature could easily command a significant fee for narration work, choosing to waive it entirely for a small, independently backed historical film says something about where his priorities sit. It also underlines Khymsar's own point, that Siddiqui's approach to collaboration is built on trust and creative respect rather than a straightforward transactional arrangement, which is precisely the reputation that keeps drawing filmmakers back to him.

Quick Facts

• Film: Four Rivers Six Ranges

• Director: Shenpenn Khymsar

• Siddiqui's Role: Hindi voiceover narration, unpaid

• Friendship Origin: Introduced by Anurag Kashyap on the sets of Sacred Games, roughly 8 years ago

• Based On: Flight at the Cuckoo's Behest by Dorjee Wangdi Dewatshang

• Next Collaboration: Karma – Running to Stand Still

FAQs

Did Nawazuddin Siddiqui charge a fee for Four Rivers Six Ranges?

No. Director Shenpenn Khymsar has said Siddiqui agreed to lend his voice to the film without charging a fee.

What is Nawazuddin Siddiqui's role in Four Rivers Six Ranges?

Siddiqui provides the Hindi voiceover narration for the film, which otherwise features a Tibetan cast.

How did Shenpenn Khymsar and Nawazuddin Siddiqui become friends?

They met nearly eight years ago on the sets of Sacred Games, after being introduced by Anurag Kashyap.

What is Khymsar and Siddiqui's next project together?

The two are developing Karma – Running to Stand Still, a script that will feature Siddiqui in a new role.