'Abhay Verma has the same potential as Hrithik Roshan to become a star,' says Manoj Bajpayee

Iconic actor Manoj Bajpayee has applauded Bollywood's brightest young talents, Abhay Verma, with whom he has shared a screen space in the acclaimed series The Family Man. Recalling how he instinctively recognised Hrithik's star potential years ago, Manoj revealed that he now sees a similar spark in Abhay.

Speaking about Abhay, Manoj shared, "I met Abhay before The Family Man. I have a gift of gauging if a person is going to go somewhere... Bhagwaan ne aisa diya hai kuch. I had a similar feeling about Kartik Aaryan and Hrithik. I vividly remember Hrithik was shooting for Fiza. The film also featured my wife, Shabana. I was shooting nearby when Pradeep Guha and Khalid asked me to watch one of Hrithik's takes. The moment I saw him perform, I knew he was going to be a superstar. The rest is history."

He further added that meeting Abhay Verma gave him the very same instinct, expressing confidence that the young actor possesses the talent, dedication, and screen presence to carve out an equally remarkable journey in the industry.

Coming from one of Indian cinema's most respected performers, the endorsement is significant for Abhay Verma, who has steadily built a reputation with his nuanced performances and thoughtful choice of roles. The actor has an exciting slate ahead, including portraying real-life Kargil hero RS Dhaliwal in Operation Safed Sagar, starring alongside Jimmy Shergill, Dia Mirza, Prajakta Koli, Adil Hussain, Mihir Ahuja, Taaruk Raina, Arnav Bhasin and Amrita Bagchi. He will also be seen in Shah Rukh Khan's King, along with JC and Laikey Laika.

With an industry stalwart like Manoj Bajpayee publicly backing his potential, Abhay Verma's journey is increasingly becoming one to watch. If Manoj's instinct has indeed proved right before, Bollywood may well have found its next breakout star.

Hailing from Panipat, Haryana, Verma has been part of shows like The Family Man (2021) and Safed (2023). However, his breakthrough came with the comedy-horror film Munjya (2024).