Manoj Bajpayee who with his Raw, gritty, intense and flawless performances as infused life into many movies in his over a two-decade career. He made his debut in Bollywood with his first feature film “Drohkaal” where he played a small role of a decoit. In his recent interview, the National Award-winning actor revealed why according to him Bollywood is an impossible industry for outsiders. He said, “It’s an impossible industry for outsiders and if you are a girl trying to get in from outside then it is all the more impossible, because there are gangs and groups here, and they expect you to be in their good books all the time, whether they give you work or not.”
Manoj has made a name for himself with his films like his performances in films such as Shool, Kaun?, Zubeidaa, Pinjar and Gangs Of Wasseypur among many others. He also revealed how the industry can be a difficult place for those who don’t follow the rules. He further stated, “If you are a person who believes in ability and hard work and not surrendering to peoples’ whims and fancies, then it is quite an impossible industry.”
He stated that when he entered Hindi films it was difficult for him because conventional, commercial and formula films were all that were ruling the roost at that time. He recalled how coming here and travelling so many years while having a little bit name for oneself is quite a miracle. Thus he calls Bollywood an impossible industry.
After his films like “Satya” and “Shool”, he opened the floodgates for several other talents, such as Irrfan Khan and Nawazuddin Siddiqui. But does he think that they have managed to break the dominance of the commercial stars? He said, “I was quite stubborn. I have always been stubborn since my childhood. After the success of ‘Satya’, I wanted to do something good. I somehow felt that this is a great chance to do my kind of work and stick to my conviction. It needed patience and a lot of perseverance to say not to all the bigwigs and all the big money that was coming my way, and so many films.”
Manoj said how he could have had money, name and fame in a very short span of time but opted for the way. That has not only done him good but even other actors who are now big names in the industry and also have a better lifestyle. He also pointed out how so many other young actors are reaping the benefits of all the struggles one has put in getting films and sticking to one’s conviction. He believed that he somewhere in a very small way, have contributed to the rising importance of content and to those talented actors who want to do something different.
On the work front Manoj will next be seen in the Amazon Prime series, “The Family Man.”
