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Manoj Bajpayee reveals Mahesh Bhatt urged him not to leave Mumbai: 'You are in the league of Naseeruddin Shah'
Recently, popular Bollywood actor Manoj Bajpayee recalled that Mahesh Bhatt had urged him to not leave Mumbai and compared him with Naseeruddin Shah.
Bollywood actor Manoj Bajpayee recently discussed his choice to join the television show Swabhiman. He revealed that he was facing financial difficulties at the time, and his peers were beginning to doubt whether he could succeed as an actor. Manoj also shared an encounter with Mahesh Bhatt, who sensed his dissatisfaction with television work and encouraged him not to give up on the city and his dreams, assuring him that it held greater opportunities for him.
Manoj Bajpayee reveals Mahesh Bhatt recognized his talent during Swabhiman
Recently, during the podcast of Chalchitra Talks, Manoj Bajpayee mentioned that he was also thinking about whether he was a good actor because despite his experience in theater, he wasn't getting any job offers. Even people who used to admire him began to doubt his abilities.
Manoj remembered that during those challenging times, he received an offer for the TV series Swabhiman. He said, “I got a call from the production house of Swabhiman. I didn’t want to do TV. I was a stubborn person. I thought I would join TV and become corrupt. I thought I would lose the focus of doing quality work. My friend forcibly took me to the office and I was about to say no, but he said, ‘No, he will do it.’” 
The actor from Joram mentioned that his fortunes turned around once he joined Swabhiman, and he received love from the audience right from the beginning. Manoj also remembered how Mahesh Bhatt understood his frustration about not getting film roles and encouraged him to stay in Bombay.
He then recounted how Swabhiman served as a foundational experience, paving the way for larger endeavors such as Satya. Mahesh Bhatt, a producer of Swabhiman, recognized his potential, likening him to Naseeruddin Shah. Bhatt advised him not to depart from Mumbai, sensing his disappointment, and assured him that the city held greater opportunities than he could imagine.
Recalling the same, he said, “He recounted how Swabhiman served as a foundational experience, paving the way for larger endeavors such as Satya. Mahesh Bhatt, a producer of Swabhiman, recognized his potential, likening him to Naseeruddin Shah. Bhatt advised him not to depart from Mumbai, sensing his disappointment, and assured him that the city held greater opportunities than he could imagine.”
Digging into Manoj Bajpayee's work front
Regarding his work, Bajpayee is currently enjoying praise for his exceptional acting in Netflix's newest series, Killer Soup, where he stars alongside Konkona Sen Sharma.
Before that, he appeared in Joram, a movie that attracted notice at esteemed international film festivals like the International Film Festival Rotterdam, Sydney Film Festival, Durban International Film Festival, 28th Busan International Film Festival, and 59th Chicago International Film Festival. In a remarkable accomplishment, Joram has earned a spot in the Oscar Library. Moreover, Bajpayee is set to host the third part of the Secret franchise.
Manoj Bajpayee on Joram's Oscar library entry
During his conversation with News18, Manoj Bajpayee shared his enthusiasm about his movie Joram being included in the Oscar library. He said, “It’s a great piece of news that has come to us and I really feel that we’ve come a full circle with this. I don’t work for validation. I work because this is what I wanted to do and this is what I’m passionate about."
He further added, “At the end of the day, you’re the best and the biggest critic of yourself. It’s only me who knows how much I could achieve and how much I just left out, how much I missed and how much I lacked in a few places, and that’s a continuous process.”
The documentary series, Secrets of the Buddha Relics, is now accessible on Discovery+ and is scheduled to debut on the Discovery Channel on February 26th.
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