Manoj Bajpayee

Manoj Bajpayee was rejected by the National School of Drama repeatedly before it finally let him in, which tells you something about the persistence that has defined a four-decade career. He came from a village in Bihar with no connection to the industry and made himself, role by role, into one of its most respected actors.

Satya in 1998 is the film that announced him, the small-time gangster Bhiku Mhatre becoming an instant reference point. Two National Awards followed, for the quiet devastation of Aligarh and the one-man study of Bhonsle, and then The Family Man turned him into a streaming-era leading man in his fifties. He has been outspoken about the industry’s indifference to outsiders like himself.

He keeps his private life private, married to the actress Shabana Raza, and treats the paparazzi with easy courtesy. Our cameras value the sightings.

Everything below is from our own cameras.

More on Manoj Bajpayee: en.wikipedia.org