Manoj Bajpayee said that he respects Shah Rukh Khan a lot, especially because he has seen the Bollywood actor lose his ‘entire family and everything’ and then build his own space in the industry.
Manoj is currently gearing up for the release of his next, courtroom drama titled ‘Sirf Ek Bandaa Kaafi Hai’. The film is slated to premiere on May 26. Directed by Apoorv Singh Karki, the film traces the story of a lawyer, who is fighting against a giant system.
Recalling his friend from their early days in the profession, Manoj told a popular entertainment news agency: “I feel very happy to see Shah Rukh Khan at the height that he is now. The way he has created his own world, after losing his entire family at the young age of 25, is commendable. He created his own space and family. He worked hard to achieve all the fame and name that he now has.”
“I respect him because I was one of his friends who had seen him at his worst. I can never be bitter about Shah Rukh Khan’s success,” he added.
During the interview, Manoj Bajpayee also said that during their starting days, Shah Rukh Khan and he used to meet frequently and they also worked together for some time. However, they no longer get the time to meet up as frequently as both Manoj and Shah Rukh have created ‘different worlds’ for themselves.
But they do have a mutual respect for each other, Manoj added.
Manoj Bajpayee was most recently seen in ‘Gulmohar’. Currently streaming on ‘Disney+ Hotstar’, the film featured Manoj as Sharmila Tagore’s onscreen son and also featured Simran and Suraj Sharma. It was directed by Rahul V Chittella.