Manoj Bajpayee opens up on the challenges he faced in the initial years; says, “Nobody was offering me anything” : Bollywood News

Bollywood actor Manoj Bajpayee is currently basking in the success of his recent release Gulmohar. In a recent interview, he opened up on the worst phase of his life. He once acted in Shekhar Kapur’s Bandit Queen. He revealed that everyone who worked in the film received offers soon after the film released, except him until Ram Gopal Varma spotted him.

Manoj Bajpayee opens up on the challenges he faced in the initial years; says, “Nobody was offering me anything”

Manoj told YouTuber Ranveer Allahbadia (Beer Biceps), “The worst days of my life were when I left Delhi for Mumbai. In Delhi, I used to work for 18 hours and sometimes without money—but there was a feeling of creative satisfaction and happiness. I didn’t know English, so I used to keep practising to be fluent and people would think I am crazy. But I was busy, despite all the difficulties. Yet, when I came to Mumbai, there was no work—no money, and no food.”

He was spotted by Ram Gopal Varma in Bandit Queen. He added, “He noticed my performance during a private screening, ironically when no one else in the world had cared. Everyone in Bandit Queen got offers, except for me. Years later, I was taken to Ram Gopal Varma for Daud as a henchmen role, he got up from his seat and said, 'I’ve been looking for you for years, where were you?'”

He added that challenges persisted even after he did notable films. He continued, “Nobody was offering me anything. The films, today that are considered my best, didn’t work at the box office at the time. In our industry, a terrible film can become a hit—and then there will be the same pattern of films. When I used to go for functions—and believe me I’ve experienced it—cameramen, reporters and anchors, would just turn the mic and not even turn towards me.”

Coming to the professional front, Manoj will next be seen in the third season of his Amazon Prime Video show The Family Man.

Also Read: Manoj Bajpayee opens up on the phase of depression he underwent in his early days; says, “I had a passing suicidal thought”