Manoj Bajpayee on struggles with stardom post Satya success: ‘Felt like an impostor until Akshaye Khanna guided me’ – Newz9

Manoj Bajpayee not too long ago opened up about his struggles with adjusting to fame and success following the blockbuster ‘Satya’. Directed by Ram Gopal Varma, Satya not solely redefined Manoj’s profession but in addition left an indelible mark on Indian cinema. While the movie catapulted him to nationwide fame and earned him a National Film Award for Best Supporting Actor, it additionally introduced a set of challenges that Manoj wasn’t ready for.
Speaking in an interview with Midday, Manoj revealed the preliminary difficulties of navigating his newfound stardom. Coming from a modest background and enduring years of wrestle within the trade, the trimmings of success felt alien to him. “I wasn’t comfortable with all the attention and privileges. Whenever I went to five-star hotels or sat in my car, it felt like I was intruding on someone else’s space,” he admitted.
The actor credited his co-star Akshaye Khanna for serving to him embrace his achievements. “It was Akshaye who said, ‘Manoj, why are you feeling so guilty about your success? ‘Own it.’ That conversation really knocked some sense into me,” Manoj shared. Despite this recommendation, he acknowledged that adjusting to stardom was a gradual course of, particularly since he had spent 25 years of his life exterior the highlight.
Manoj’s journey into Bollywood was removed from straightforward. Hailing from a small city and breaking into the trade via Delhi’s theater scene, he spent 4 years taking minor roles earlier than getting his huge break with Satya. Since then, he has carved a singular area of interest, balancing impartial movies with mainstream cinema throughout numerous languages.
In 2024, Manoj continued his spectacular streak, starring in 5 numerous tasks. These included The Fable, a movie that premiered on the 74th Berlin International Film Festival, and the black comedy crime thriller collection Killer Soup alongside Konkona Sen Sharma.
Reflecting on his evolution, Manoj admitted that whereas the eye nonetheless feels overwhelming, his ardour for performing stays unchanged. “Success was never the goal. It’s always been about the craft for me. Everything else is secondary,” he remarked.