It was a packed room of mostly young college-goers as Manoj Bajpayee took the stage at the International Film Festival Delhi on Friday, reflecting on a career that has come to define persistence in a rather ruthless industry. In conversation, the actor spoke about his journey through Hindi cinema and answered questions from young aspirants who sought insights into breaking into a field known to be challenging and even unforgiving.
“One has to be passionate, mad, but also intelligent,” Bajpayee said, as he reflected on his early years in Bihar. “As a 10-year-old, you cannot tell people that you want to become an actor. They’ll crush your dream then and there in the name of care.” Instead, he told his father he would prepare for the UPSC in Delhi.
From Delhi, his journey took him to Mumbai, where he began with small roles in films like “Drohkaal” and “Bandit Queen”. His breakthrough came with Bhiku Mhatre in “Satya”, directed by Ram Gopal Varma, a performance that earned him the National Award.
Recalling "Satya”, Bajpayee shared that he informed his family about the film only when it was close to release. “At that time, I feared the film would be jinxed if I said anything.”
‘Lacunae in the system’
Speaking about the inherent flaws in the Indian film ecosystem, Manoj Bajpayee cited his 2007 film ‘1971’. Written by Piyush Mishra and directed by Amrit Sagar, the film follows six Indian prisoners of war attempting to escape captivity during the 1971 war.
The film failed at the box office but went on to win a National Award, later finding a wider audience on YouTube during the COVID-19 pandemic. “There are lacunae in the system,” Bajpayee said.
On working with first-time indie filmmakers
Along with his acclaimed performances, Bajpayee is also known for working with debutant independent filmmakers such as Rahul Chittella in “Gulmohar” and Raam Reddy in “Jugnuma: The Fable”, among others.
“I get a lot of creative satisfaction working with them,” he said. “These films create an audience both in India and abroad. I get to be known by them, and the filmmakers also get empowered.”
In contrast, “The big filmmakers are stuck within their own system and stars. You don’t feature in their scheme of things. So what do you do? Sit at home?”
“Big stars work with three or four established makers, but that’s not the case with us,” he added.
The process, he pointed out, is rarely straightforward. “I go to directors too,” he said, citing “Special 26” and “Aligarh”.
In an interesting anecdote, the actor shared how even that offers no guarantee. Recalling Vishal Bhardwaj’s “Maqbool”, Bajpayee said, “I told him I’ll come crawling to you for the part.” The role, initially considered for Kay Kay Menon, eventually went to Irrfan Khan, he added with a laugh.
Speaking to the media, he also addressed the growing use of artificial intelligence and concerns around personality rights. He stressed that any use of an artist’s work or identity must come with proper compensation and respect for the years of effort behind it.
The IFFD is running until March 31.
