Some castings look inevitable in hindsight, but Satya’s most memorable on screen pairing almost did not happen this way, actor Manoj Bajpayee has revealed.
Persuading Ramu to cast Shefali Shah
Speaking to SCREEN, Bajpayee said he was the one who pushed for Shefali Shah to play Pyaari Mhatre, the wife of his character Bhiku Mhatre, in Satya. He said, “I can take this credit openly. I mentioned Shefali’s name to Ramu.” He added that Varma, who had worked with Shah in Rangeela, was not immediately convinced, saying, “He had worked with her in Rangeela and wasn't too convinced. But one day I put my foot down because the wife's casting was still not finalised.”
Bajpayee, who had known Shah since their television days, said he always believed she was the right fit. He said, “I wanted someone really good to play my wife in Satya, and I could only think of Shefali. There was a bit of struggle convincing Ramu until he finally said, ‘Okay, call her.’”
How Bajpayee landed the role of Bhiku Mhatre
Bajpayee’s association with Varma began before Satya. He had auditioned for Paresh Rawal’s role in Varma’s 1997 film Daud, and the director, impressed by his performance as Man Singh in Bandit Queen (1994), asked him to wait for a bigger role in his next project.
Bajpayee still appeared in Daud as Pushkar at his own insistence, before Varma fulfilled his promise by casting him as Bhiku Mhatre in Satya.
Crediting Shah for their on-screen chemistry
Bajpayee also credited Shah for shaping their on-creen equation as a couple. He said, “Shefali gave those small touches not only to her character but also to our chemistry as a couple. That was entirely her contribution.” Nearly three decades on, Satya remains a defining film for both actors.
More Pages: Satya Box Office Collection
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