Mumbai: The film industry has been shaken after the death of Sushant Singh Rajput. After this, celebs in the industry are openly speaking about depression and nepotism has become the center of attention.
In a recent interview to Humans of Bombay, Manoj Bajpayee, remembering the era of his struggle and revealed that the actor had suicidal thoughts and was pulled out of that low phase by his friends.
Manoj said, ‘I am the son of a farmer, grew up in the village of Bihar with my five siblings. We led a simple life, but whenever we went to the city, we’d go to the theatre. I was a Bachchan fan & wanted to be like him. At 9, I knew acting was my destiny. But I couldn’t afford to dream & continued my studies. Still, my mind refused to focus on anything else, so at 17, I left for DU. There, I did theatre but my family had no idea. Finally, I wrote a letter to dad–he wasn’t angry & even sent me Rs.200 to cover my fees! People back home called me ‘good for nothing’ but I turned a blind eye.”
Manoj further said talking about how he once wanted to commit suicide, “I was an outsider, trying to fit in. So, I taught myself English & Hindi–Bhojpuri was a big part of how I spoke. I then applied to NSD, but was rejected thrice. I was close to committing suicide, so my friends would sleep next to me & not leave me alone. They kept me going until I was accepted. That year, I was at a chai shop when Tigmanshu came looking for me on his khatara scooter–Shekhar Kapur wanted to cast me in Bandit Queen! So I felt I was ready & moved to Mumbai.”
I was even told to ‘get out’ after my 1st shot.” “Initially, it was tough–I rented a chawl with 5 friends & looked for work, but got no roles.
Once an assistant director tore my photo and 3 projects went out of my hand in a single day. I used to have no money for rent and even vada-pav was expensive to eat.
It was only after four years of struggle that the actor managed a role in Mahesh Bhatt’s soap opera Swabhimaan that aired on Doordarshan. “I got Rs.1500 per episode–my first steady income. My work was noticed & I was offered my first Bollywood film & soon, I got my big break with ‘Satya’,” Bajpayee recalled.
Lastly, Manoj Bajpayee shared how all his hard work paid off in the end. “That’s when the awards rolled in. I bought my first house & knew…I was here to stay. 67 films later, here I am. That’s the thing about dreams–when it comes to turning them into reality, the hardships don’t matter. What matters is the belief of that 9-year-old Bihari boy & nothing else,” he concluded.
On the professional front, Manoj has had two releases this year — Netflix film Mrs Serial Killer and Bhosle.
