'Audacity to risk everything and patience worked for me'

If versatility had a name, it would undoubtedly be Manoj Bajpayee. From his debut with a one-minute role in ‘Drohkaal’ in 1994 to his 100th film ‘Bhaiyya Ji’, where he takes on the mass-market action hero persona, Bajpayee has always delivered performances that surprise the audiences. It’s impossible to pigeonhole him. Just when people think they’ve watched his best act in ‘The Family Man’, he surprises you again with the hard-hitting ‘Joram’ and the wicked dark comedy ‘Killer Soup’. Bajpayee’s ability to constantly reinvent himself keeps viewers amazed.

Ask Bajpayee what contributed to his longevity and success in Indian cinema and he will say that he took risks, which even left him surprised. “Everyone works very hard. I haven’t seen anyone who came from outside without bringing their energy and passion. They all enter the field with dreams, passion and the capacity to work hard. What has really worked for me is the audacity to risk everything and the patience. Sometimes I’m even surprised with the things I do. I feel blessed with both qualities that God has gifted me. I never see myself as being in a race with anyone else in the industry. I am always moving forward, running towards the goals I set for myself each day, without looking to the right, left, forward or backward,” said the National Award-winning actor.

According to the ‘Gulmohar’ actor, he is running alone against his own limitations, trying to break new ground all the time. “These are the qualities I believe are essential. You have to be willing to sacrifice a lot and endure pain, leaving many things behind. Only then can you continue running without looking back,” said the ‘Satya’ actor.

With ‘Bhaiyya Ji’, he teamed up with director Apoorv Singh Karki. It’s an already-established collaboration after the humongous success of the courtroom drama ‘Sirf Ek Bandaa Kaafi Hai’. Presently streaming on ‘Zee5’, ‘Bhaiyya Ji’ presents him in a mass action hero image, a departure from all his previous characters. The actor is reuniting with Karki for another courtroom drama, announced on the birthday of his wife, Shabana Raza Bajpayee, who is also one of the producers.

As the audiences await ‘The Family Man 3’, the actor said that right now he is in the process of completing all his current commitments. He will be taking a break for some time, but his quest for ‘out-of-the-box narratives’ will continue. “What I’m looking forward to is something truly out-of-the-box, unique narratives, innovative storytelling and new talents. At this stage, I want projects that will make me excited to wake up early and head to the set. I’m always searching for scripts and characters that are completely new and different from anything I’ve seen or done before. I’m looking forward to exploring a lot of content, reading and learning new things. That’s what excites me for next year,” signed off the ‘Aligarh’ actor.