Sep 22, 2026 11:09am IST
Manoj Bajpayee on Not Doing Many Big Budget Movies: ‘Films Don’t Offer Much to Me’ (EXCLUSIVE)
Manoj Bajpayee has been in the show business for over three decades. After starting out with small roles, he has built himself quite a name with contributions across Indian cinema, having earned his breakthrough with “Satya” in 1998, followed by films like “Raajneeti,” “Gangs of Wasseypur,” “Shool,” “Special 26,” and “Aligarh,” among others. In recent years, the actor has moved to OTT projects like “The Family Man,” while becoming more discerning about the roles and stories he chooses.
Talking to Variety India about taking the conscious decision to limit his filmography to non-mainstream projects, he shares, “Films don’t offer much to me. If they pay me well, they can take care of many things in my life, give me a great holiday and become a great investment, then I can go ahead and think of compromising.”
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He adds that all his needs as an actor are fulfilled by small-budget films. “We get a great story, great characters. So this is the best choice, right? And you get respect and also get to play some career-defining roles. These are the obvious choices for an actor like me.”
Manoj Bajpayee would rather not be part of a film that’s dependent on a big star. “Instead of just being on a set where everyone is waiting for the stars to come and the whole deal is depending on one person, I’d rather do these projects. If there’s no commercial gain, no career gain, why should I be part of it? Even the respect is less,” he says.
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Describing himself as someone who likes to reinvent, he says, “I’m bored of going to the set and doing the same thing that you’ve done all your life. It’s so demeaning. Even if a small film is paying me a little less, it’s alright. It gives me great satisfaction at the end of the day when I’m driving back home.”
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