Bollywood

Filmmakers don't bet on actors like me: Manoj Bajpayee

PTI
February 12, 2013

First Published: 15:07 IST(12/2/2013)
Last Updated: 18:21 IST(12/2/2013)

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Anurag Kashyap with actor Manoj Bajpai participate in a road show promotion for Gangs of Wasseypur in Mumbai on June 5. (AFP photo)

Actor Manoj Bajpayee feels that directors don't show confidence in casting typical actors like him despite his critically acclaimed roles in films like Satya, Shool, Rajneeti and Gangs of Wasseypur.

"We actors live with irony that the film does not ride on us... somewhere the directors

don't show confidence in casting a typical actor and putting the stake on us. So that chance was not given to us... if a chance was given and if we failed then I can understand," Manoj told . "We are always the second or the third guy, we are fine with it. I am not being cynical here. I like to live in reality and this is the realistic situation," the 43-year-old actor said.

Considering that today unusual and meaningful films are doing well at the box office, Manoj still feels the perception of industry has not changed much. "Still they (industry people) will not put the entire stake on us as there are mainstream actors. One Anurag Kashyap who thinks differently can do it but not the regular mainstream directors... they will not bet on us," he said.

Anurag Kashyap's Gangs of Wasseypur, where he played the lead as the mafia don won him a lot of appreciation but interestingly he has not signed any film after that. "I am going through scripts almost every day but I haven't signed anything after Gangs of Wasseypur... the wait is getting longer. Post Gangs of Wasseypur things have not changed for me. It has changed so much that I am sitting at home and being with family," he chuckles. "Whatever films that are releasing this year I have signed all of them before Gangs of Wasseypur," he added.

Manoj's latest release is Neeraj Pandey's Special 26 along with Akshay Kumar and Anupam Kher. His other upcoming films include Sanjay Gupta's Shootout at Wadala and Prakash Jha's Satyagraha. Its for the fourth time that Jha and Manoj will be teaming up together for a film. Their earlier films include ? Rajneeti, Aarakshan, and Chakravyuh.

Talking about his rapport with the national award winning filmmaker, Manoj says, "It is good that I get to work with him. He gives me a good role in a big film, pays me well. Since he makes commercial films around true, real life incidents... drama I find it quite interesting. I enjoy working with him."

"But unfortunately I cannot talk about my role in Satyagraha..he will kill me," Manoj chuckled.