Manoj Bajpayee says Gajraj Rao used to be ‘nightmare’ on sets: ‘He never worked on his character’

Actor Manoj Bajpayee, who will next be seen in the film Sirf Ek Bandaa Kaafi Hai, has opened up about why Gajraj Rao was considered a ‘nightmare’ sets. According to Manoj, actors used to seek advice from Gajraj, as he was known for his exceptional improvisation skills.

In an appearance on Cyrus Broacha’s podcast, while talking about working with Gajraj, Manoj said, “Gajraj used to be a nightmare on sets. Gajraj was a kind of actor, who never worked on his character. But he was a nightmare for all the other serious actors because woh aake sabki band bajadeta tha. He used to improvise in such a way that everyone else used to think, ‘How do we improve our lines now?’”

The actor added, “He was kind of a danger. Many times, most of the actors who had scenes with Gajraj, they used to take tips from him. Gajraj used to be that kind of an actor.” Manoj and Gajraj have worked together in various films, such as Bandit Queen, Aks and Dil Pe Maat Le Yaar.

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In an earlier interview with Silverscreen India, Gajraj was all praise for Manoj. He had said, “He (Manoj) was very accommodative and supportive. He has more practice than me now as he has consistently been in the industry for 25 years. I have worked on lesser films and mostly in supporting character parts. It is always good to rely on Manoj for feedback.”