Close X
Sunday, November 10, 2024
ADVT 
Bollywood

Never Intended To Be A Hero, But A Credible Actor: Manoj Bajpayee

IANS, 01 Apr, 2017 12:34 PM
    Manoj Bajpayee, who has proved his versatility as a performer on screen, says he never wanted to create an image like that of a mainstream Bollywood star. He was rather interested in establishing himself as a credible actor.
     
    Asked if he ever tried to create a screen image, Manoj told IANS in an interview here: "No, I never did... Because that was not my aim. I never intended to be a hero but a credible actor. I also think that my driving force as an actor is to experiment with different roles.
     
    "So when I choose a script, I make sure I am attempting something that I have never done before."
     
    Whether it was as a deadly gangster in "Satya", police inspector in "Shool", a cunning politician in "Rajneeti", a prince in "Zubeidaa" or a homosexual professor in "Aligarh" -- Manoj has showcased his acting prowess in these myriad roles and more.
     
    So how does he prepare for a role, especially when he is not familiar with the world of a fiction character?
     
     
    Bajpayee said: "I think I have had an interesting and colourful life journey where I have met thousands of people from various walks of life. So whether a police officer, my friends, landlords, villagers, politicians or school teachers - I have come across many of them.
     
    "Observing them has always given me an insight of characterisation. No one is a better teacher than life."
     
    Born and brought up in small village name Belwa in Bihar, Manoj moved to Delhi and picked the nuances of acting at the National School of Drama. In his initial days as an actor, he faced a struggle.
     
    Now almost 70 films later, and after bagging two National Awards and three Filmfare Awards, does he lead a good life?
     
    "Well, financially I am not a rich person, but I am doing good. I am leading a normal life, doing something that I enjoy doing the most - acting. There was a time when I did some films for money because I bought my house and had to pay off my loans.
     
    "But I got very frustrated, so my wife told me not to take up projects that I do not believe in as that spoils domestic harmony," he said with a smile.
     
    Does winning awards motivate him to do better work?
     
    "I feel humbled receiving awards, so I thank them (who have honoured me), but I do not feel disheartened if I don't get it. The day my remuneration and number of offered scripts will increase because of my award, perhaps I will start bothering too much about that. Till now, a good story is motivational for me."

    MORE Bollywood ARTICLES

    Clash Of Titans Again: This Time It's Shah Rukh Khan And Akshay!

    Clash Of Titans Again: This Time It's Shah Rukh Khan And Akshay!
    On Republic Day 2017 we saw a clash of the titans at the box-office with Shah Rukh Khan's 'Raees' and Hrithik Roshan's 'Kaabil' both releasing on the same day.

    Clash Of Titans Again: This Time It's Shah Rukh Khan And Akshay!

    Check Out Shraddha Kapoor's Perfect Transformation Into 'Haseena'

    Check Out Shraddha Kapoor's Perfect Transformation Into 'Haseena'
    Shraddha Kapoor has proved time and again that she has the knack of getting into the skin of the character she portrays. 

    Check Out Shraddha Kapoor's Perfect Transformation Into 'Haseena'

    'Naam Shabana': As Good As 'Baby', The Film Grips You

    'Naam Shabana': As Good As 'Baby', The Film Grips You
    Watching this film is a joy, although nothing really happy happens to Shabana. We are just happy that she can fight her own battles even when the odds are stacked skyhigh against her.

    'Naam Shabana': As Good As 'Baby', The Film Grips You

    2017 First Quarter: Star Power Steals Limelight At Indian Box-office

    With four big budget films crossing the Rs 100 crore ($15 million) mark in box-office earnings in the first quarter of 2017, Bollywood is off to a "good" start this year -- but it continues to battle the growing menace of piracy, say trade gurus.

    2017 First Quarter: Star Power Steals Limelight At Indian Box-office

    Sunil Grover Is Back As Mashoor Gulati But Not For Kapil Sharma As Raju Srivastava Joins Kapil's Tea

    Sunil Grover Is Back As Mashoor Gulati But Not For Kapil Sharma As Raju Srivastava Joins Kapil's Tea
    Sunil Grover is back. He will apparently be seen as Dr Mashoor Gulati and Rinku Bhabhi - his famous characters on Kapil’s show - on Indian Idol, which reaches its finale this weekend.

    Sunil Grover Is Back As Mashoor Gulati But Not For Kapil Sharma As Raju Srivastava Joins Kapil's Tea

    Gujarat High Court Stays Police Summons To Shah Rukh Over Fan's Death At Vadodara Railway Station

    Gujarat High Court Stays Police Summons To Shah Rukh Over Fan's Death At Vadodara Railway Station
    The Gujarat High Court today stayed the summons issued to Bollywood superstar Shah Rukh Khan by the Government Railway Police (GRP) over the death of a man at Gujarat's Vadodara railway station during the promotion of his film "Raees."

    Gujarat High Court Stays Police Summons To Shah Rukh Over Fan's Death At Vadodara Railway Station