A silent presence in Bollywood, Manoj Bajpayee had a heart-to-heart on Sushant Sinha’s podcast, sharing his thoughts on the rising divorce rate of today, drug addiction in the industry, and the job he ultimately turned down for Sanjay Leela Bhansali.
Bollywood’s impact has frequently been blamed for the rise in divorce proceedings that are common in India. Bajpayee, however, maintained that the growth of nuclear families throughout society was to blame, not the film business.
“You will realize where we have come today, where relationships and marriages are breaking every day, if you go to Tees Hazari Court and ask about the divorce rate,” he bemoaned. “The nuclear family trend was embraced by our society, and while there are advantages to it as well, the harm that it caused is evident in the legal system.”
Whatever people watch on Bollywood, in Bajpayee’s opinion, is not a driving force for change but only a mirror of society. “Those in the same society are employed in the industry,” he said. “Isn’t it obvious that a change in society will also show up in the industry when people belong to the same society?”
Like the rest of the nation, Bajpayee acknowledged that the divorce rate among actors had increased. He admitted, “Divorces in the same industry were not as common in the past as they are now.” “However, the industry exhibits very open-minded behaviour.”
In the meantime, given how widely known Bollywood is, it won’t be long until the world learns about an actor’s battles with drug addiction. Does the Gangs of Wasseypur star, though, believe that the drug problem is exclusive to the movie business? It seems not to be.
Bajpayee rejected assertions that Bollywood had a “dark side,” saying, “If someone is ever caught doing the wrong thing in some corner of the industry, that doesn’t prove anything.” “My pals and co-stars are in the same industry as me. I can see that 95% of them are sincere and passionate about their families and friends and the films they are making.
“A few incidents here and there cannot prove that the whole industry is like that,” Bajpayee added, reaffirming his position and giving assurance that he is not personally in collusion with anyone involved in drug use.
The actor from Silence 2 has established himself in Bollywood, or what he refers to as “the Hindi film industry,” thanks to roles in films like Sirf Ek Bandaa Kaafi Hai and The Family Man.
He disclosed that he had previously been considered for the Chunnilal role in Sanjay Leela Bhansali’s Devdas, but ultimately turned down the position. Jackie Shroff eventually made the role come to life. “Ever since I saw Dilip Kumar’s movie or read the book, I’d wanted to play Devdas,” the actor said. But I never felt guilty about giving up the role,” he continued.
Bajpayee began his film career with a one-minute appearance in Govind Nihalani’s Drohkaal (1994) and worked up with a string of little roles. He came from a poor family and had no connections in the industry. The actor, who has gained some roles in spy/crime thrillers recently, will next be seen in Bhaiyya Ji, Despatch, and The Fable.
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