Manoj Bajpayee: The Actor Who Survived Bollywood's Brutal Ecosystem Through Reinvention

From Bhiku Mahatre to Bhaiyyaji, Manoj Bajpayee's three-decade-long innings in Bollywood have been one of reinvention and relentlessly surviving the film industry's hyper-competitive ecosystem.

The actor hits a glorious century, marking his 100th film project with his latest Bhaiyyaji.

"I have always said that to survive this industry, you need to keep two steps ahead and four steps back. There are times when one is compelled to pull back when opportunities dry up and you are unable to see the light at the end of the tunnel. Reinvention is indeed the key to survival. When things get tough, that's the time to recalibrate and realign. One is faced with situations and making choices, which could be to your disadvantage on the surface, but they may open better and newer opportunities, and my career is the testimony of it," says the actor.

His co-stars describe him as a living legend. An actor par excellence, the last few years have been nothing short of a Manoj Bajpayee resurrection across platforms. From films to web series, the actor has proved that he is a one-man show when it comes to playing quirky and challenging characters. Playing the family man Srikanth Tiwari, who leads a double life as a secret agent in the thriller "The Family Man," or a son weighed down by the baggage of his emotional past in "Gulmohar," to the lawyer who takes on a godman in "Sirf Ek Bandaa Kaafi Hai," or the father trying to save his child in "Joram," and his double role in the dark thriller ''Killer Soup'', the actor has showcased his repertoire across genres.

His Satya director Ram Gopal Verma has been quoted as saying that OTT was created for Manoj and he for the OTT.

Though grateful for opportunities on OTT, the actor says, "I wish I could do more theater viewings back in the day, since mainstream media is very popular in our country. I have been part of cult path-breaking films, and to my luck and many others who, like me, wanted to experiment with their craft, OTT happened and helped us understand the possibilities as an actor."

However, he does reveal that commercial mainstream cinema didn't know what to do with him. As he becomes one of the busiest actors with a release every three months, he says the only change in his process is now trying to understand the personal arc of his characters.

Manoj Bajpayee says, ''I just want the audience to enjoy and respect my work. I cannot do the same thing over and over again. I love doing independent cinema as well. There will always be a Gulmohar to balance a Joram, which is hardcore independent. For Killer Soup, I will also give a hard-hitting narrative like 'Banda'. I want the audience to be entertained and immersed in a story. But also be democratic in choosing when it comes to viewing films, where there is creativity, irrespective of genre. Regarding the process, I am no longer as impulsive or headstrong as I was in the past. These days when I have to play a short-tempered person, I get very nervous because life took a different turn and I worked on discipline, and I don't want that part of me surfacing again. Even though it's an on-screen character, I now approach it differently. I try to study the mind of my characters now, their personal lives, rather than just who they are playing."

From a minor role in Shekhar Kapoor's Bandit Queen (1982) to his breakaway role in Ram Gopal Verma's Satya (1994), which was followed by critically acclaimed performances in films such as Shool, Kaun, Rajneeti Gangs of Wasseypur, and Aligarh, Manoj confesses he does not get the obsession with box office numbers.

"It's bothersome and annoying. I won't stop anyone from making anything; I have always championed the cause of creativity. I may disagree, but I always stand for the right to self-expression. But we forget that if cinema has to evolve, it cannot evolve if your entire focus is the box office. It is for the producer, and yes, we want them to make money. As actors, our job is to make films. We cannot be counting money and thinking that just because our film has made a certain number and everyone is writing about it, thus coaxing the audience to watch it, we have done well. But where is the filmmaking here? "Let us demand good stories from filmmakers and not 900 crores; it is impossible to make films like these."

Happy with the success of films like '12th Fail' and 'Laapata Ladies', he says it reaffirms what he has always believed in. People want hope. When they go to the theater, they want to see their stories, a slice of their lives, of surmounting challenges. When you identify with the person on screen winning, you see it as your victory; if that is not there, then we have a problem. This is the content that will get people to theaters."

Currently shooting for season 3 of 'The Family Man', he says playing Srikanth Tiwari is like therapy for him and promises another exciting season ahead.