Manoj Bajpayee on Devanagari Scripts and Finding Black Humor in Real Life (EXCLUSIVE)

Manoj Bajpayee’s preparation as an actor begins with the script, and for him, the language in which it is written matters. In a conversation with Variety India alongside filmmaker Neeraj Pandey, the actor explained why he prefers reading Hindi dialogues in Devanagari.

Amitabh Bachchan and Pankaj Tripathi are among the few actors who still read Hindi scripts in Devanagari, Bajpayee said, “My handicap is I cannot memorize a Hindi line if it is not written in the Devanagari script.”

However, Pandey is quick to dismiss the suggestion that only a handful of actors follow this practice. “That’s a myth. A lot of other actors do that,” he says, insisting that several performers ask for scripts in Devanagari.

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The conversation also turns to "Gajab Raat," Pandey’s thriller featuring Bajpayee. Discussing the genre and its writing, Pandey explains that creating a feature-length black comedy was a new challenge for him.

“We did a short film, a black humor piece, "Ouch!" So that was fun. It was fun to tap into something which is again a mix of both thriller and dark humor,” Pandey said.

He added that the film also attempts to make sense of the world around its characters, calling the process tricky but enjoyable.

Asked where he finds inspiration for black humor, Pandey said the answer lies in observing everyday life rather than looking exclusively to films or books.

“You have to look around you for black humor. Trust me, that’s where black humor is. You don’t have to go to a theatre or watch a film or read a book. Real life,” he quips.

The filmmaker also offered a glimpse into Bajpayee’s off-screen personality, recalling how the actor’s one-liners kept the crew entertained during late-night shoots.

“It’s the same, exactly the same. Like his one-liners and gags are the same,” Pandey said, describing Bajpayee’s sense of humor on set.

For Bajpayee, the film offered an opportunity to inhabit another unpredictable character. He expressed a desire to revisit Nivrit, saying, “His mind is very quirky, is very unpredictable. So I just hope that people like it as much as I loved playing him.”