'Few Critics Couldn't Digest That I Played a Prince in Zubeidaa': Manoj Bajpayee

Manoj Bajpayee will next be seen in Apoorv Singh Karki's 'Sirf Ek Bandaa Kaafi Hai'.

Manoj Bajpayee talks about Satya, Zubeidaa, and Ram Gopal Varma.

(Photo Courtesy: The Quint)

Manoj Bajpayee recalls that he traveled to Delhi at the age of 18 with a dream to join the National School of Drama (NSD). Even though that particular dream fell through, over 10 years of theatre made his the person he is today. In a conversation with The Quint, Bajpayee strolls down memory lane. 

Even though the actor has several successful projects to his name now, his breakthrough role came with Ram Gopal Varma’s Satya. The character of Bhiku Mhatre shot him to stardom.

Of Varma, the actor says, “He's always been a rebel. He never toes the line of the world and thinks very differently. In an industry that was driven by the box office and formula films, he had the guts to make an unconventional film on Mumbai mafia with absolute newcomers.”

“RGV ran from pillar to post to find the finance. But he made his film and he proved everyone wrong. He has changed so many people’s careers, including Anurag Kashyap and Saurabh Shukla and so many others’.” 

Manoj Bajpayee

Talking about Shyam Benegal’s Zubeidaa, co-starring Rekha and Karisma Kapoor, Bajpayee says, “I was getting a chance to work with Rekha ji and I was quite nervous but also excited. And then Karisma (Kapoor), one of the biggest heroines of that time, was opposite me.”

“I was appreciated so much for that role. Few of the critics found it very difficult to digest me as the prince. They were not able to digest that a not-so-good-looking man, conventionally, has played this role and he played it well.”

Manoj Bajpayee

The actor also talks about living in Mumbai, playing characters that run the story, what success means to him, how he deals with failure among other things. 

Watch the video for more.