I have to reinvent myself: Manoj Bajpai

Versatile Manoj Bajpai who will appear in Acid Factory next tells Vajir Singh that he wants to do every possible role as he wants to reinvent himself.

What's the new look about?
I prefer doing one film at a time so I can look like the character I'm playing. I wanted to do something drastic since I'm playing an unpredictable guy in Acid Factory.

I asked my producer Sanjay Gupta and director Suparn Varma to get involved in my styling. Although I wanted a weird haircut, I ended up with short hair.

Do you want a change of image as such?
Not really. This year again, you'll see me in an action movie like Acid Factory and at the same time a comedy like Money Hai Toh Honey Hai. I want to do every possible role.. at the same time I know I have to reinvent myself.

HT Image

After being around for more than a decade, isn't that a bit too late?
Well, it's not something that I've decided to do. My friends Sanjay Gupta and Ganesh Acharya wanted to change something in me and I allowed them to. I trust them.

Please go on.
No one is making the kind of films that one used to.. let's say like Shool. I did Aks nearly seven years ago.. today people say that it was ahead of its time. It may not have worked when it was released, but it's still talked about.

Irrespective of their boxoffice fate, 1971 and Swami are two of the best films of my career. It's just that the producers lacked the resources.. they couldn't promote the movies very well. No one saw these films, so I keep distributing their DVDs.

How do you look back at Satya?
It became a landmark film. Till Satya was released, we thought we would only get critical acclaim. But it went on to become a commercial hit. I wish I had the mantra of how to be in a hit.. then I would rule the industry .