Manoj Bajpayee candidly confesses being “down and out” when Irrfan Khan and Kay Kay Menon became the “first choice” : Bollywood News

Manoj Bajpayee’s portrayal of Bhiku Mhatre in Satya remains one of the most iconic characters in Indian cinema and has earned him a place in the pantheon of great actors. In fact, his performance was so impactful that he won the National Film Award for Best Supporting Actor and the Filmfare Critics Award for Best Actor. However, his journey as an actor post the success of Satya was a bit difficult. Speaking of the same, Manoj recalled how he made many enemies in the film industry, and how he was discarded when Irrfan Khan and Kay Kay Menon became the ‘first choice’.

Manoj Bajpayee candidly confesses being “down and out” when Irrfan Khan and Kay Kay Menon became the “first choice”

It all happened during his conversation with Sucharita Tyagi. Bajpayee asserted, “I realised that I don’t want to do what they are expecting me to do. All the offers that were coming my way weren’t something that I could fit myself into. Yes, the money was good. I had no money, and no work, and the biggest producers were coming to me. They came with suitcases full of money, and to say no to it was the toughest task I have ever faced. That was the time when egos were very big. People used to get offended very easily. And with every no, I was making more enemies.”

According to him, after working on Pinjar and 1971, he felt exhausted and finished. Adding further, he said, “Then, Irrfan and Kay Kay Menon were coming up, they became the first choice, and I was nowhere. I had no work, I was down and out.”

Coming to the professional front, the 53-year-old actor was last seen in Disney+ Hotstar’s original film, Gulmohar, starring Sharmila Tagore. He has multiple projects in his kitty including Apoorv Singh Karki’s Bandaa, a courtroom drama.

Also Read: Manoj Bajpayee opens up on his short temper; says, “Anger used to be my very strong emotion”