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EXCLUSIVE: The Family Man 2’s Manoj Bajpayee says he'd love to get into new story, new world as Srikant Tiwari
Manoj Bajpayee talks about the success of The Family Man 2 and reveals the best compliment he received for the show.
After introducing the first season of The Family Man in 2019, the second season was unveiled recently and has received a massive response from the audience. In an exclusive conversation with Pinkvilla, Manoj Bajpayee speaks about the encouraging response to the show. “I don't think any maker in this country or anywhere rather, can imagine that a series can experience this kind of a reaction and unprecedented love. As soon as it started to stream, people binged watched the entire series in one night. In fact, so many people have seen it twice, and are now watching it for the third time,” marvels Manoj.
The actor states that while it is usual for people to watch the same film multiple times, but when it comes to series it's a completely different ball game. “I personally feel that you can’t plan, guess or even work for this kind of a response, it just happens,” says Manoj. The National Award winning actor adds that he is nothing like his onscreen character, Srikant Tiwari. Point out about Bajpayee’s sense of humour that not many people know about, and he responds, “I don’t think Srikant Tiwari is about his sense of humour, he is quirky.”
Bhiku Mhatre from Satya was doing something and that was making people laugh. However, it was not an effort to make you laugh, it was just the way that character was
Manoj Bajpayee
Manoj further adds, “Tiwari is struggling all the time, and the manner in which he responds to a situation is what makes you laugh, because you must have responded somewhere like this or have seen it happening with some people, which makes you relate to it. So it's not really humour, but you are relating to his misery and conflict which is making you laugh. There is no comedy happening there. See (for instance) Bhiku Mhatre from Satya was doing something and that was making people laugh. However, it was not an effort to make you laugh, it was just the way that character was.”
Prod him about season 3 of The Family Man, and Manoj says, “I don’t have the script in my hand. But the day it will be in my hand, and the moment the formalities will be finalised, is when I will completely believe that it is happening. Right now I am reading, as you are reading. I am no different from anybody who knows that much and no more.”
However, Manoj would love to come back with the third season. “Definitely. Srikant Tiwari is such a rage and right now it has become a national phenomenon. Why should I leave it when I am getting so much love from the audience, industry, family and friends. Billions of people are rooting for Srikant Tiwari. Definitely I would love to get into a new story and new world as Srikant Tiwari,” states Manoj.
When 13 and 14 year olds come up to me for photographs and autographs, that is a fan base I have never touched
Manoj Bajpayee
The actor also shares the best compliment that he has received for the show. “It came from my friend Daya Nayak, who is a very famous person and once upon a time was regarded as an encounter specialist. He has been my friend since my Satya days. So he called me up and said, ‘Manoj you have just portrayed us and the kind of difficulty and conflict that we go through in finding that balance between the job and the family’. It is coming from the horse’s mouth, and when a retired intelligence person speaks to me and talks about how well and realistically they are portrayed in a series, that is a big compliment for me. Also when 13 and 14 year olds come up to me for photographs and autographs, that is a fan base I have never touched. I have never done any film for them to really know me. So Gen Z as you term them, are coming to me and exploring my past work and trying to get to know Manoj Bajpayee because of The Family Man, that’s a big complement,” smiles Manoj.
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