Manoj Bajpayee, who plays an upright lawyer in Sirf Ek Bandaa Kaafi Hai, shares how the film is based on true events

Nonika Singh

National Award winning actor Manoj Bajpayee never fails to evoke awe or admiration among his admirers. Ever since he set the gold standard in acting as Bhiku Mhatre in Satya, he has been growing from strength to strength.

But, the current phase, what with back-to-back films and the mega hit web series, The Family Man, up his sleeve, seems to be the best in his close to three-decade-long career. All set to be seen in Zee 5 film Sirf Ek Bandaa Kaafi Hai, he can’t say whether he is on the top right now. But yes, if OTT has given us breakout stars, established ones like him have gained immensely too.

“It’s for everyone to see how OTT has boosted my career, given it fresh energy, widened my fan base. OTT is not limited, every good film every good project has a place here.”

The Family Man in his long and extensive filmography occupies a special place precisely for, “it has taken me one notch up, to every household, empowered and earned me new admirers across generations beyond borders.”

But Srikant Tiwari is nowhere close to his real self. Sure Bajpayee is a family man, “Eighty per cent of people are, but the irony is Srikant Tiwary is less of a family man.” Besides unlike motor-mouth Tiwary, who lies through his teeth, Manoj is shy, quiet and reticent. Of course, he has enjoyed playing the character as much as fans around the country have loved watching him and is looking forward to the third season as eagerly. But to put a rein to your imagination and expectations, the shooting has yet not begun as the makers Raj and DK have been busy with other projects. So has Manoj been. Lately, he has been working with young crop of directors who come in for fulsome praise, “for they are experimental, daring and ready to take risks.”

Apoorva Singh Karki, director of Sirf Ek Bandaa Kaafi Hai, he hails in particular as, “calm and collected, yet fully prepared with no chip on his shoulder” and reminds us how he helmed the TVF show Aspirants exceptionally well. What made the choosy actor say yes to the part of an upright lawyer in Sirf Ek Bandaa Kaafi Hai is, “It’s a great character, great story, based on true events which are out in the public domain.”

As a rule, there is no acid test that he applies to while signing on the dotted line. But the golden rule is, “If there are three great parts I choose the one which fascinates me the most. If I can see the character while reading the script, it’s an instant yes.”

More recently we saw him in much acclaimed Gulmohar. And boy, did he have a fan boy moment while working with ‘the’ Sharmila Tagore. He gushes, “Imagine, here I was on the sets with an actress who had a great run as a star and as an actor. There was some nervousness and I was so envious of the fact that she has been a part of Satyajit Ray’s films.”

Even otherwise there is many an actor (Dilip Kumar, Amitabh Bachchan, Om Puri, Naseeruddin Shah) he admires. As for he himself being a critics’ darling, so much so we doubt if any of his performance has ever been panned. He says, “Critics may not have been disapproving, but I am rather harsh on myself. I avoid watching my performances; it is a torture for I will find a thousand flaws.”

Even with three National Awards under his belt, he strives to grow, evolve with each new project, new role. Sure, he has his own process of acting but he lets nothing interfere with director’s vision. Beyond awe, admiration and respect the actor is not weighed down by others’ expectations either. “I expect a lot from myself and I put myself through a grind and since I am so brutal with myself, what people expect from me does not matter.” Any wonder excellence becomes a way of life/acting for the gifted actor.

(Sirf Ek Bandaa Kaafi Hai streams on May 23 on Zee5)

Legal trouble

The makers of Sirf Ek Bandaa Kaafi Hai were sent a legal notice by self-styled godman Asaram, sentenced to life for sexually exploiting a minor, and the Sant Shri Asaramji Ashram Charitable Trust alleging that the trailer of the film is “highly objectionable and defamatory.” Bajpayee says he is not the right person to comment on the issue, but the film, directed by Apoorv Singh Karki and written by Deepak Kingrani, is not based on “just one story”. —PTI

‘I believe in God’

Bajpayee might be playing a real-life lawyer fighting a case against godman in pursuit of justice for a minor girl, but that does not make him a non-believer. “I believe in God, only my belief is my belief. I have nothing against spiritual gurus either. I have one too, but he would not be comfortable if I were to talk about him. My character doesn’t take on the godman, rather he derives courage and inspiration from the girl who dared to call him out.”