2024-05-02 15:42:09
Manoj Bajpayee said on his entry into politics – I have reached here after working very hard and if I leave everything and go to a place which I do not know what it is, I do not wish to go there. The actor spoke on the plan of sharing screen with his wife.
Manoj Bajpayee, who has played a three decade long innings in the world of acting, is doing great work on OTT after cinema. After the web series ‘Family Man‘ and OTT release ‘Ek Banda Kafi Hai‘, his recent release ‘Silence 2’ on ZEE 5 is also being liked. He had a special conversation with us.
You are doing very well on OTT. Your ‘Ek Banda Kafi Hai’ moved from OTT to cinema. Now season 2 of your film ‘Silence 2’ has arrived. What do you want to say about this success?
I am very lucky that people are liking my work so much and my films are getting so much respect and love. What could be better than this? In the end it is the audience that takes your work forward.
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You have played such a long innings on cinema and now you are doing so well on OTT also. Do you think OTT suits you more than cinema?
People are slowly going back to the cinema. My next film ‘Bhaiya Ji’ is going to hit the theatres. But I want to work on both sides. Wherever there is good work, I will work there. ‘Bhaiya Ji’ seemed like a good script and I felt it should be released on theatres. Well, to be honest, we tried hard to get ‘Ek Banda Kaafi Hai’ released in cinemas but it was with the OTT platform and when the film goes to OTT, it is not going to be released in the cinemas. It was the demand and pressure of the audience that despite coming on OTT, we had a symbolic release of Ek Banda Kafi Hai on cinema.
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The beginning of this year has been slow for films. What would you say about this?
All this goes on. Business is sometimes four paise less and sometimes four paise more. When you talk about business, you should be prepared for everything. But this does not mean that the rest of the year will be bad. Who knows. I think people will go to watch the film in the future.
Your film ‘Zoram’ was quite good, but it did not get many viewers. What will you say about this?
It is the responsibility of the spectators to leave. We released the film on 250 screens. It was a symbolic release, because we had already thought that we would release the film on OTT. But we all wanted to experience theater as well, so we rarely visited cinema halls. Today that film is running on many platforms and has earned very good money. This indicates that the film has earned well and a lot of viewers have seen it.
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OTT has taken you to every home. What will you say?
I did not reach every house. I have reached from east to west and from north to south. When you go to OTT you go pan India. Even in foreign countries, you become known to every household. Like Family Man was watched a lot in Mexico and many people watched it in Spain too.
People call you a family man. Talking about real life, how much time are you able to give to your family?
Nowadays it becomes a bit difficult to find time. But now that the girl has grown up, it is obvious that she doesn’t miss it that much anymore. Just when she comes home from the hostel, she wants her mother. Rest I keep calling him and asking him why he didn’t call me.
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Recently there was news that you want to share the screen with your wife?
Yes, it is true. There is a lot in the plan. If she likes the script, she will definitely be a part of it.
It is election period. Today many stars are trying their career in politics. Have you ever received any such offer?
We have been meeting each other for many years. I have reached here by working very hard. It has taken me many years to get here. Now I should leave everything behind and go to a place I don’t know what it is. I don’t even want to go there. I don’t even want to go. I like it here. I have no desire to go into politics.
There comes a moment in everyone’s life which they consider as the turning point of their life. Do you consider OTT as the turning point?
The turning point of my life was Satya. OTT as a medium has been a turning point for the entire world, not only for me but also for every actor, director and every other department. But Satya has been the turning point in my life, who gave me a career, name, fame and existence as an actor.
In the three decades of your career, you have played many roles. Is there any character in your mind which you still wish to play?
It is not known until something comes to light. When I got the role of ‘Ek Banda Kafi Hai’, I felt that I have not done this character, I have not written such a story and script. Then I did it. Similarly, I feel that there are many more characters left to do.