Some critically acclaimed actors in Bollywood have had humble beginnings and their road to the top hasn’t been easy. In a recent interview, Manoj Bajpayee talked about the struggle of his initial days in the industry and recalled his first meeting Ram Gopal Varma When he was desperate to get the job done.
Manoj recalled that when he met the filmmaker for a role in Race, RGV asked him if he had done anything before. “Yes, I did Bandit Queen. But you wouldn’t recognize me. I played a non-speaking character,” he said, adding that he played Man Singh. In conversation with actor Sayaji Shinde on Bol Bhidu, Manoj Said that RGV had been looking for her for years, and was so impressed that he offered her the lead role in Satya.
Manoj recalled that when he met the filmmaker for a role in Race, RGV asked him if he had done anything before. “Yes, I did Bandit Queen. But you wouldn’t recognize me. I played a non-speaking character,” he said, adding that he played Man Singh. In conversation with actor Sayaji Shinde on Bol Bhidu, Manoj Said that RGV had been looking for her for years, and was so impressed that he offered her the lead role in Satya.
While Manoj was feeling well, he was in urgent need of money to pay his rent. ‘Many people make such promises. So I told him,Sir, woh jab hoga toh hoga, mujhe yeh karne dijiye, mujhe paise ki zarurat hai’,” He shared with Shinde.
The actor got the role in Dawood for which he was paid Rs 30000 – a huge amount for him at that time. “She paid the rent for a year,” revealed Manoj.
Manoj Bajpayee played Satya, but his role was not that of the main character. However, his character Bhiku Mhatre became iconic nonetheless.
After this, Manoj will play the role of Shrikant Tiwari in the third season of the web series The Family Man.