Manoj Bajpayee calls out Bollywood actors for being insecure: ‘They will never praise each other’s work'

Manoj Bajpayee discussed insecurity in Bollywood, revealing that actors rarely praise each other due to the fear of competition.

Actor Manoj Bajpayee is currently earning widespread praise for his performance in The Family Man season 3. The cast recently sat down with Kusha Kapila and comedian Ravi Gupta for a fun conversation about the show, during which Manoj spoke candidly about the insecurity that exists among actors in Bollywood.

Manoj Bajpayee opens up about actors being insecure of each other in Bollywood.

Manoj Bajpayee on Bollywood actors' insecurity

During the chat, Jaideep Ahlawat recalled how he broke down in tears when Manoj Bajpayee praised his work in Paatal Lok season 1. He said, “When Paatal Lok season 1 was released, Manoj bhai called me at night and spoke to me for 15–20 minutes. I will never forget that for the rest of my life. And after that, I cried a lot.” Manoj revealed what he had told Jaideep at the time: “I had told him to open an institution, and I would become his student.”

Manoj further spoke about the sense of insecurity among Bollywood actors and added, “In our industry, actors will never praise each other. They’ll never call to appreciate someone’s work because they are very insecure. Even now, I still call people to ask for work. Kyunki main paidayshi struggler hoon (Because I am a born struggler).”

Before The Family Man 3, Manoj Bajpayee and Jaideep Ahlawat had worked together in the 2012 crime drama Gangs of Wasseypur and in Bedabrata Pain’s period war drama Chittagong. In the latest season of The Family Man, Manoj reprises his role as Srikant Tiwari, while Jaideep plays the antagonist, Rukma, whom Srikant is chasing.

About The Family Man Season 3

The new season, released after four years, broke records by becoming the most-watched series of 2025 in its first week on Prime Video India. Helmed by Raj & DK, the show stars Manoj Bajpayee, Nimrat Kaur, Ashlesha Thakur, Sharib Hashmi, Priyamani and Jaideep Ahlawat in key roles. The story follows Srikant, who becomes a wanted man after a mishap in the Northeast and is on the run from his own agency along with his family and close aide JK. While on the run, he takes on a mission to stop notorious smuggler and assassin Rukma, who is planning something massive with his international handler, Meera. The season ends on a cliffhanger, leaving fans eagerly awaiting season four.