Exclusive | Manoj Bajpayee on fame, recognition, Delhi and box-office pressure: ‘I have never asked anyone for an award’

"Mumbai ka king kaun? Bhiku Mhatre!'' This dialogue quickly reminds everyone of Manoj Bajpayee. One of the most celebrated Indian actors. In his career spanning over decades, he has played several iconic characters. Whether it was Bhiku Mhatre in Satya, the character that instantly pops up when we talk about Mumbai gangsters. Adding to these are Sardar Khan in Gangs of Wasseypur, or Srikant Tiwari in The Family Man, among others.

Now, the actor is back on screen, and this time he plays the role of the Governor in the film of the same title. Manoj Bajpayee plays S Venkitaramanan, a new addition to the several biographical roles he has phenomenally brought to the big screen.

Before the release of the movie, Manoj, in an exclusive conversation with WION, talked about his film and recalled his days in Delhi, where he was deeply involved in theatre. Although the interview was conducted in Noida, the actor fondly recalled how, nearly two decades ago, he and his theatre colleagues used to joke that Noida was farther away than Patna.

Manoj Bajpayee on box office pressure : Only God can bring audiences to the theatre

Governor has now been released in theatres, and Bajpayee, who has successfully balanced both OTT and theatrical projects, was asked about his perspective on box-office numbers.

To this, he said, ''No, OTT has come only now. Before that, I had been busy with the cinema since 1993. Some movies worked, some didn't. But I continued to work. While some films didn't work. But later, many of those films went on to achieve cult status.''

''What has always been important is choosing a good script and a good character, and then playing it with all your heart. Only God can bring audiences to the theatre, no one else. We have made some great films, but audiences did not go to watch them at the time. Later, people told me that they had watched those films three or four times. Every film eventually finds its audience, and I have become known for these kinds of movies. For me, all these films have given me pride, confidence, and honour. So all of them are special to me, '' Bajpayee added.

Were you aware of the story of S. Venkitaramanan before the movie was offered? The actor, being honest, said no, he didn't have much knowledge. But yes, he does remember reading the headlines about him in Delhi newspapers when he was doing theatre.

‘’I had a habit of reading newspapers, so I was aware of the event, but how and why it happened, who was responsible. All this I learnt about while reading the script.''

'I have never joined hands to get the honour'

Over the years, Bajpayee has built a reputation for letting his work speak for itself rather than chasing accolades or validation. Having navigated the highs and lows of the industry, he says that he had never gone out to ask for the award.

‘’People say that there is cheating everywhere, but I have never asked anyone to give me an award. If people asked me what I wanted, I would have said, "Give it to whoever deserves it." I have never joined hands to get the honour. Whatever recognition I have received has been given by people and by the audience. For over two years, I kept hearing that I might receive the Padma Shri. Still, I didn't get it. Even then, I never went around asking for it or looking for it. I always wanted it, when people should think. Yes, this person is the one capable of the honour.''

Manoj Bajpayee was awarded the Padma Shri in 2019.

After giving so many years to the industry, the one thing that has become easy for him as an actor is the freedom to choose.

''By the grace of God, the good thing today is that I have choices, the choice to pick the roles I want to do. Earlier, it wasn't that easy. We had to accept whatever work came our way because we needed to survive in Mumbai, earn a living, and manage our daily expenses, including commuting from one place to another.''

Mumbai or Delhi, which city is more special to you?

Born in Belwa, a village in Bihar's West Champaran district, Manoj Bajpayee's life and career have been shaped by three places: Bihar, Delhi, and Mumbai. Bihar gave him his roots, Delhi nurtured his artistic ambitions, and Mumbai helped him build a successful career and public identity. Asked which city feels closest to him personally, Bajpayees said that the answer is not an easy one.

''My motherland is Bihar, and I come from the Nepal border region in the north. I am a very proud Bihari. Delhi has taught me a lot. At the same time, when I was in my village, I had my memories with parents, villages, friends, so those are all my fond memories. Delhi taught me. And Mumbai, it has made me who I am today. So it's a tough question.''

Mandi House in Delhi has long been regarded as the heart of the city's theatre scene, where countless actors and artists have honed their craft. Reflecting on those days, Bajpayee shared a humorous memory about how people in the theatre community once viewed Noida.

''In my time, when someone rented a place in Noida, people in the theatre community would joke about it. We used to say that it was better to go to Patna than to Noida because it would take almost the same amount of time to travel to Mandi House from Noida as it would from Patna. It was a joke because Noida was not developed then, and people would relocate there only when they had no other option.''