Hindu Chat | Manoj Bajpayee wants to change his image

Actor Manoj Bajpayee in conversation with Rohit Khilnani, journalist and talk show host, during the event ‘From Bhiku Mhatre to Srikant Tiwari: Three Decades of Reinvention’, at the sixth edition of The Hindu Huddle 2026, in Bengaluru on June 6, 2026. Photo Credit: K. Murali Kumar

In a live session at The Hindu Huddle on June 6 (Saturday), actor Manoj Bajpayee captivated the packed hall with his wit and wisdom. In the midst of an interview with journalist and talk show host Rohit Khilnani, the veteran actor came together to take a selfie with members of the crowd.

The light-hearted banter was meant to shatter his image of a “serious individual”. “I don’t know when I went from Manoj to Manoj sir to Manojji. I have a 15-year-old boy in me waiting to be expressed,” he said. In a session titled “Bhiku Mhatre to Srikant Tiwari: Three Decades of Reinvention”, the actor responded to issues surrounding the film industry, but began nostalgically, talking about his iconic character Bhiku Mhatre from Ram Gopal Varma’s Satya (1998). “It was a time when I was fighting for roles. I was hungry and looking for people who could give me a place to sleep. I jumped into the role like a hungry tiger,” he recalled.

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Talking about the rise of AI, Mr. Bajpayee said, “The fear of AI is coming from the right place because it is trying to create alternatives to actors. At the same time, I am in favor of technological development. AI also has its advantages. Post-production costs have come down. But you cannot recreate the human experience. Real-time performance is always authentic compared to AI.”

Mr. Bajpayee said that unconventional and independent films in India deserve better treatment for someone who has made his way up the ladder of unconventional films. “You talk about Satyajit Ray in foreign countries and people respect you. Many of our filmmakers like Shyam Benegal, Shekhar Kapur, Anurag Kashyap and Kanu Behl are respected in several countries. People stand up and applaud their work. The same filmmakers are struggling to make films in their own country and that is sad.”

He added: “Indie and unconventional films need to have better budgets. These films need to get more exposure. I see so many flagship films, despite negative reviews and fewer tracks, occupying multiple screens and shows, which affects the outcome of another worthwhile film.”

Mr. Bajpayee will next be seen in the film Governor, which is based on the Indian economic crisis of 1990. The film is set to release on June 12, 2026, and the film will see Mr. Bajpayee play former Reserve Bank of India Governor S. Venkitaramanan. Mr. Bajpayee was asked about his collaboration with Vipul Shah, who produced the controversial films The Kerala Story. Mr. Shah is also the producer of Governor.

“Vipul Shah is an experienced producer. Kerala Story got people to the cinemas but it was also controversial. But Governor is a story we can all agree on. It is not political,” Mr Bajpayee said. “The story follows a time when India was in a financial crisis. Today’s generation needs to know that India didn’t always have Pepsi, Coke and mobile phones. India was on the verge of bankruptcy.”

Known to relish complex roles, Mr Bajpayee admitted that he wants to move away from serious characters and “have fun on screen”. “I am doing a lot of research and delving deep into a complex character. But I am afraid that I will continue to get only such roles. I am a bit tired of the process. I want to dress well, sing songs and relax on sets,” he signed off.

Published – June 6, 2026 10:17 PM IST