There are certain actors in Bollywood who are so talented that they can steal the show even in small or supporting roles or more than the lead character. Nawazuddin Siddiqui is a prime example of this, as he gave a memorable performance as the villain Shiv Gajra in ‘Kick’ (2014), even though the film was primarily focused on Salman Khan. Irrfan Khan was another actor who could elevate any film with his presence, even if he was only in a supporting role. His performances in films like ‘Gunday’ (2014), ‘Haider’ (2014) and ‘Piku’ (2015) are proofs of his immense talent.
Remembering such talents, Manoj Bajpayee is another actor who can be added to this list. While star kids and pageant winners may be getting more opportunities to act in films these days, they most often lack the training and experience of actors like Bajpayee. He is a master of his craft, with a deep understanding of dialogue delivery, body language, dialects and emotional expression. Young actors could learn a great deal by simply watching him perform.
Manoj Bajpayee has consistently delivered outstanding performances in a variety of genres, from action to family drama to political drama to suspense thrillers. However, it was after he made his digital debut with the series ‘The Family Man’ (2019) that he truly began to shine. His performances in shows and films like ‘Ray’ (2021), ‘Sirf Ek Bandaa Kaafi Hai’ (2023), have all been critically acclaimed.
Not only with the big stars, but Manoj Bajpayee has also maintained his aura intact with newcomers as well. For example, in ‘Tevar’ (2015) or ‘Baaghi 2’ (2018). Although in both films, Arjun Kapoor and Tiger Shroff were in the leads, Bajpayee’s performances mostly grabbed the audience’s attention.
Manoj Bajpayee made his feature film debut with bit parts in ‘Drohkaal’ (1994) and ‘Bandit Queen’ (1994), but it was his breakout role as the gangster Bhiku Mhatre in Ram Gopal Varma’s crime drama ‘Satya’ (1998) that cemented his reputation as one of India’s finest actors.
In the beginning of his career, Bajpayee worked in several films like ‘Dastak’ (1996), ‘Fiza’ (2000), ‘Zubeidaa’ (2001), ‘Pinjar’ (2002), ‘LOC: Kargil’ (2003), ‘Veer-Zaara’ (2004) and more.
Bajpayee’s stunning versatility made him win the National Award three times for ‘Satya’ (1998), ‘Pinjar’ (2003) and ‘Bhonsle’ (2021). Manoj’s multifaceted talent never made him only play the positive roles. Rather he is widely known for his negative roles as well. Like in Anurag Kashyap’s ‘Gangs Of Wasseypur’ (2012), as the complex and vengeful Sardar Khan, he left a big impact on audiences. Even in ‘Raajneeti’ (2010), his performance as Veerendra Pratap, inspired by Mahabharat’s Duryodhan, garnered critical acclaim.
Bajpayee has also won several acting awards including Best Actor at the Asia Pacific Screen awards for ‘Aligarh’ (2016) and ‘Bhonsle’ (2021).
He also won the Best Actor Award at India’s National Film Awards for his role in the film ‘Bhonsle’, which was directed by Devashish Makhija. The actor and the director have reunited for the film ‘Joram’, which premiered at the Rotterdam Film Festival this year.
Furthermore, he won the Best Actor Award for ‘Joram’ at the Durban International Film Festival 2023.
Despite working in offbeat films, Bajpayee has got the chance to work with several big actresses like Tabu, Karisma Kapoor, Raveena Tandon, Urmila Matondkar and Shilpa Shetty Kundra.
Manoj Bajpayee’s ZEE5 Global film ‘Sirf Ek Bandaa Kaafi Hai’ has become the most viewed original on the service in the last one year, marking another triumph for the actor.
Coming from a middle-class family from Bihar and being an outsider in the industry, he made a niche for himself within twenty years of his career. Bajpayee is a true icon of Indian cinema. He is a multiskilled actor who has starred in some of the most memorable films since his debut. His unconventional acting skills and hard work have earned him a place among the greatest actors of his generation.
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