Manoj Bajpayee is a renowned actor and is known widely for his strong roles in the movies. Recently, in an interview with the Official Human’s of Bombay, Manoj Bajpayee opened up about his early days of struggle and how he was on the verge of suicide.
Manoj Bajpayee was passionate about acting since the age of 9 and has gained a reputed place in the heart of the film industry. Being an outsider to the industry, this actor had to face multiple rejections at the start of his career that led him to a breaking point, but eventually fought hard and gained success.
Bajpayee said to the Official Human’s of Bombay “I’m a farmer’s son; I grew up in a village in Bihar with 5 siblings–we went to a hut school. We led a simple life, but whenever we went to the city, we’d go to the theater.”
His will to be in the cinema was stronger than ever and he left home at the age of 17 and worked hard towards his dream of becoming an actor and joined Delhi University. He says “My family had no idea. Finally, I wrote a letter to dad–he wasn’t angry & even sent me Rs.200 to cover my fees! People back home called me ‘good for nothing’ but I turned a blind eye.”
Talking about his days of constant struggle, Bajpayee said that he had faced a lot of rejections despite a lot of hard work. “I then applied to NSD but was rejected thrice. I was close to committing suicide, so my friends would sleep next to me & not leave me alone. They kept me going until I was accepted.”
However, after this struggle, in the very same year, Manoj Bajpayee was approached for Bandit Queen and he decided to move to Mumbai for the same. He rented a room in a chawl with his 5 friends. The first steady income for Bajpayee was by the television series produced by Mahesh Bhatt. “After 4 years of struggle, I got a role in Mahesh Bhatt’s TV series. I got Rs.1500 per episode–my first steady income. My work was noticed & I was offered my first Bollywood film & soon, I got my big break with ‘Satya’.”
The actor has given some brilliant performances in the industry and has received critical acclaims for his role.