Manoj Bajpayee recalls career low before Raajneeti, Gangs Of Wasseypur; says meetings with Neeraj Pandey, Anurag Kashyap changed everything

Manoj Bajpayee recalled turning down roles during a career low because the work he wanted was not coming his way.

Manoj Bajpayee has opened up about a low phase in his career before films such as Raajneeti, Gangs Of Wasseypur and Special 26 brought a significant change. The actor recalled a time when he was turning down several offers because the kind of work he wanted to do was not coming his way. He also spoke about how conversations with filmmakers Prakash Jha, director of Raajneeti, Anurag Kashyap, director of Gangs Of Wasseypur, and Neeraj Pandey, eventually led to these films.

Manoj Bajpayee latest film Gajab Raat is streaming on Netflix.

Manoj Bajpayee on the low phase in his career

Recalling that period, Manoj said, “Before these films, I saw some lows. The kind of work that I wanted to do wasn’t coming my way. All I was doing was refusing films and saying no to people. And the ones I said yes to, I wasn’t happy doing those films."

How Manoj Bajpayee landed Raajneeti, Gangs Of Wasseypur and Special 26

The actor explained that things began to change after he watched Neeraj Pandey's A Wednesday. He met the filmmaker afterwards. Around the same time, he also met Prakash Jha and was in touch with Anurag Kashyap.

Talking about how these meetings eventually led to new opportunities, Manoj said, “That’s when I watched A Wednesday. Neeraj (Pandey) and I had met after that and we spoke about cinema at large. He told me how he makes his films. That’s all I remember from that chat. I also remember meeting Prakash (Jha) ji at around the same time. Anurag (Kashyap) and I were talking simultaneously. Those films started happening to me a year after those meetings."

Manoj went on to share that he continues to speak to directors every day, including many newcomers. He said these conversations help him discover interesting stories and find the kind of work he wants to do. The actor added that his focus is on building a filmography that he can be proud of.

About Gajab Raat

Manoj was recently seen in Gajab Raat, which premiered on Netflix on October 23. Directed by Ritesh Shah and produced by Neeraj Pandey, the Hindi crime thriller unfolds over a single night in Delhi. Manoj plays a corrupt police officer whose encounter with an injured woman pulls him into a dangerous situation involving powerful people and a wider conspiracy. The film also stars Divya Dutta, Akshay Oberoi, Saqib Saleem, Nushrratt Bharuccha, Shraddha Das and Kiku Sharda.