Manoj Bajpayee Recalls How Mahesh Bhatt Intervened When He Decided To Quit Acting, 'Bhatt Saab Ne Kaha...'

Manoj Bajpayee impressed everyone with his acting skills in his latest OTT film Gulmohar that also starred the veteran actress Sharmila Tagore. The actor who is all set to deliver yet another memorable performance in his upcoming next Sirf Ek Bandaa Kaafi Hai revealed in a recent interaction that at one point in his life as a struggling actor, he was ready to quit and head back home but Mahesh Bhatt stopped him.

The actor appeared in Aap Ki Adalat and recalled his days of struggles even after working in

TV serial Swabhiman as well as Mahesh Bhatt directorial Tamanna. While Manoj played a small role in Swabhiman, it caught the eyes of Mahesh Bhatt who called him on the sets of his film, “Ye kaun sa abhineta hai jo ye wala role kar raha hai, ye to kamaal ka actor hai, iska number mujhe bhejo (Who is this actor, he is quite good! Send me his contact details). Mujhe laga koi mera bana raha hai bohot bura (I thought someone is making a fool out of me).”

He further added that he got the role that was initially offered to Paresh Rawal due to lack of dates, “Bhatt sahab ne kaha tum abhi aa jao, phir unhone mujhe Tamanna film mein role bhi diya, Pooja Bhatt Productions’ ki wo pehli film thi (Bhatt sahab asked me to come over quickly, and then offered me Tamanna. It was Pooja Bhatt’s first film as a producer).”

“Bhatt sahab gave me a lot of respect and motivated me. I don’t know what he saw in me. He even said ‘I think you want to leave the city and go back to your home.’ Which was true. But he said ‘Don’t go because you are the kind of actor, who is made for this city and cinema. The city will give you a lot, so much that you could never have imagined it in your wildest dreams,’” recounted the Family Man actor.

Talking about his upcoming film Sirf Ek Bandaa Kaafi Hai, News18 Showsha review of the same reads,”The complex relationship between godmen and blind followers is a tale as old as time. These ‘extraordinary’ beings, in all their flowing robes, have convinced their followers that they possess divine wisdom and mystical powers. Sirf Ek Bandaa Kaafi Hai puts these followers in the spotlight and treads the fine line of where blind faith meets questionable intentions.”