Manoj Bajpayee denies being jealous of Irrfan Khan, but admits to coveting his Maqbool role: ‘Called Vishal Bhardwaj 21 times’

In a recent interview, Manoj Bajpayee spoke about whether he was envious of Irrfan Khan. He also confessed how he would eye the kind of roles Irrfan did.

By: Entertainment Desk

Mumbai | June 18, 2023 01:32 PM IST

3 min read

Manoj Bajpayee spoke about whether he was ever envious of Irrfan. (Photo: Express Archive, Manoj/Instagram)

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Trust actor Manoj Bajpayee to make the most honest confessions about his life and career in every interview. The actor, in a new media interaction, was asked if he was ever jealous of his contemporary, the late Irrfan Khan. He said that since they came from different circles, they never competed against each other. He also said that their approach towards work was really different, and thus, they never crossed paths often.

In an appearance on the Unfiltered by Samdish YouTube channel, Manoj was asked if he was ever jealous of Irrfan. While he was taken aback by the question, he called it ‘valid’, and offered an answer. He shot back that by this logic, he should also be jealous of Shah Rukh Khan. “We didn’t know each other, and our circle was also very different. While we both definitely wanted to work together, our paths and approaches were different, and hence it never happened. But I must say, there was never any envy, as I didn’t know him closely,” the Bandaa actor said in Hindi.

Also Read | Manoj Bajpayee recalls being treated ‘shabbily’ by casting assistants, was told ‘na hero dikhta hai na villain’

The interviewer cited the example of Naseeruddin Shah and Om Puri, who were close friends, but also competitive. Smiling at the comparison, the actor said that just like the legends craved each other’s roles, he too had his eyes on some of Irrfan’s work. He went on to reveal how he had reached out to director Vishal Bharadwaj multiple times for the lead role in Maqbool. “Kay Kay (Menon) was earlier doing the role. He had even grown his hair long for it. However, the film got delayed, and he had prior commitments, so it went to Irrfan. I called Vishal 21 times but he kept saying no. He also felt that since I had just done Satya, there would be a glimpse of Bhiku Mhtare in me,” he shared.

In the same interview, Manoj Bajpayee also opened up about how he learns from his other contemporaries. He named Irrfan, Kay Kay, Nawazuddin Siddiqui, Vijay Raaz and Gajraj Rao, as actors who inspire him. “Vijay scene kahan se kahan le jayega pata nahi chalega. Gajraj ke sath aap kabhi easy nahi ho sakte, he is unpredictable and will surprise you (Vijay takes the scene to a different level and Gajraj manages to surprise you always),” he said.

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