Manoj Bajpayee Gets Candid About the Time He Was Sidelined by Casting Assistants

Manoj Bajpayee expressed that he was not given much importance in the film industry. He had to do his own PR and struggled to maintain his image.

Written by: Arjita Gupta

Edited by: Krutarth Ghosalkar

Last Updated: May 30, 2023

Manoj Bajpayee, an actor, is receiving praise for his work in the ZEE5 original movie Bandaa. The actor portrays a defense attorney defending a self-styled godman who is charged with raping a minor. The powerful monologue by the actor in the climax of the film has been singled out by the audience. Except for a few commercial decisions he made, the actor has established himself as a strong performer and has produced highly acclaimed films and television shows. It has not always been simple for him, though; there was a point when he was sick of being rejected and struggling and was prepared to go back home.

The actor recalled his tough times in Mumbai and contrasted them with his days performing in theatre in Delhi. He revealed that after performing plays for ten years, he struggled to pay for meals. But we were never concerned by it. We would all stick together and walk 5 to 6 kilometers each day, but we were content because we were succeeding. When I arrived in Mumbai, the lack of theatre struck me, he said. Manoj Bajpayee said there were several physical and financial issues.

In addition to being sad about being unable to perform, he was not feeling well, which impacted his mental health. There were a lot of people waiting in audition lines, and the assistants would speak to them all in the same way, he continued. He would feel disrespected because I had experience in the performing arts and was also in the Bandit Queen. At that point, he began to suspect that believing in his acting abilities was an illusion. He decided to return if he did not receive any work by the next week.

When asked why the actor decided to stay in Mumbai, he admitted to memorizing the short story "Ram Sajeevan Ki Prem Katha." They rehearsed for 20 days before putting up the performance for friends. The actor also had his friend say the narrator's line. Then, they would put on a show in whichever place they went to before they started partying, whether at their house, that of Tigmanshu, or anywhere else. They developed a routine out of it, refusing to let anyone touch their meal or drink before they witnessed our act.

Because we had a goal in life, Mumbai became bearable that day, Bajpayee said with a smile. The National Award-winning actor revealed that he struggled with people making comments about his appearance, sometimes even to his face. The actor said that it is good they stated these to his face. This made it easier for him to keep his hopes of becoming a big star in check. People may remark that you do not appear heroic or villainous.

They never made him the hero's sidekick but that of a villain. The actor claimed that even after finding fame, he took a long time before hiring a manager or PR. Manoj said that he never employed a publicist. He eventually gave in to a woman who was fervently trying to represent him in the media. Then a friend suggested that he acquire a digital PR for himself and offered to pay for it. They did pay for two months, after which he asked them not to do that anymore.

The actor said that he must admit that because of his extremely high expectations, anyone who works for him has a difficult time. They are pretty upset about me. The actor said he has been marketing his films by himself for a while. He handled the PR for Gali Guleiyan, Bhosle, and even Aligarh. Manoj conveyed that he is aware of what needs to be done and what should be sold. Young people frequently alter their plans. Since independent films cannot afford such expenses, thus, he only had an assistant or team for a few years.