Manoj Bajpayee’s much-awaited film “Governor: The Silent Saviour” is released on Friday, June 12. The film is an economic thriller based on extensive research into real public-domain events. While it draws from history, it is not a documentary.
Manoj Bajpayee has played the role of S. Venkitaramanan, former RBI Governor, who helped guide India out of its severe 1991 economic crisis.
He is once again being praised for his commendable acting prowess. It wasn’t an overnight success for Manoj. His road to success was a marathon, not a sprint.
Let’s get into the flashback story of Manoj Bajpayee in our weekly segment “Flashback Friday” and know about his incredible journey so far.
Manoj spent his childhood in Bihar’s village
Manoj Bajpayee was born in Belwa village near Bettiah in Bihar’s West Champaran district.
Though his roots are in Bihar, his family originally came from Raibareli in Uttar Pradesh. His great-grandfather migrated in search of a livelihood during the time of the farmers’ movement against the British.
Manoj’s father wanted him to become a doctor
As a child, Manoj was shy. He studied in a thatched-roof school until Class 4, later attending KR High School and Maharani Janaki Singh College in Bettiah.
His father, Radhakant Bajpayee, a farmer, wanted him to become a doctor, but Manoj’s passion for acting, inherited from his film-loving parents, was clear from a young age.
Manoj’s ancestral roots trace back to Raebareli, Uttar Pradesh. But then family shifted to Bihar.
His father had once auditioned for acting at Pune’s Film and Television Institute of India (FTII) alongside legends like Manoj Kumar and Dharmendra, but didn’t pursue it. He even worked part-time as a “film babu,” carrying film reels. This love for cinema deeply influenced young Manoj.
Wanted to change his name
Manoj Bajpayee was named after actor Manoj Kumar by his film-loving parents. However, he disliked the name for years because it was extremely common in Bihar. During his theatre days, he even considered changing it to ‘Samar.’ But the legal process and lack of money prevented him from doing so, and the name stayed.
When he lied to his mother and left Delhi with just ₹500
Manoj studied hotel management and worked as a supervisor at Delhi’s Maurya Hotel before pursuing acting.
After Class 12, Manoj lied to his mother about going to Delhi for studies and promised to complete his graduation. With just ₹500 in his pocket, he reached Delhi with his friend. He studied History Honours at Satyawati College while facing severe financial struggles. He lived in a small flat in Mukherjee Nagar, often wearing his friend’s clothes and relying on occasional money orders from home.
Failed NSD exam three times, thought of suicide
Manoj’s dream was to join the National School of Drama (NSD). He failed the entrance exam three times, which once led him to deep depression and even thoughts of suicide. Friends helped him through it. He found guidance under theatre stalwart Barry John and gained recognition in Delhi’s theatre scene.
During his college days, he survived on a meager monthly budget of ₹200.
Play Netuwa made him an overnight star on stage, performed in Lehenga
In 1989, Manoj Bajpayee joined NK Sharma’s Act One Theatre group. Around the same time, Ratan Verma’s story Netuwa was published, and Manoj suggested adapting it into a play. Cast as a traditional male dancer, he dedicated up to 18 hours a day to rehearsals. To prepare, he learned Kathak from Madhukar Anand, a disciple of renowned Kathak dancer Birju Maharaj.
He even practiced wearing a lehenga and blouse for the play.
Despite suffering a serious ankle injury, he continued rehearsing with ghungroos. His hard work paid off when Netua premiered at Shri Ram Centre and became a massive success, making him a theatre star overnight.
He performed intense rehearsals, learned Kathak, and danced in a lehenga-ghagra. The play was a massive hit even English-speaking audiences came to watch Hindi theatre. One memorable show continued in candlelight during a power cut.
Faced constant rejections but didn’t give up
Manoj made his feature film debut in 1994 with the political thriller Drohkaal, although his role was very brief. Then, in the same year, he played a dacoit Mann Singh in Bandit Queen. The role didn’t bring him immediate fame. He moved to Mumbai, where rejection became routine. He was turned down for his looks, height, weight, and lack of “star appeal.” There were days he had no money for food and survived on kindness from friends and crew members on sets.
Manoj Bajpayee was initially considered for the role of Vikram Mallah, which ultimately went to the late Nirmal Pandey but later he got the role of Mann Singh.
After moving to Mumbai, Manoj Bajpayee rented a small house in DN Nagar, near Andheri. A few days later, his close friend and actor Saurabh Shukla also arrived in the city. Recalling those early struggles in Piyush Pandey’s book Kuch Paane Ki Zid, Saurabh revealed that he was shocked to see the tiny 8×8-foot room they rented.
The monthly rent was ₹2,000, much higher than the ₹1,200 he paid for a larger house in Delhi’s Timarpur.
Faced personal lows too
Manoj Bajpayee has openly spoken about the heartbreak and emotional turmoil he faced after his first marriage ended. He fell in love with his theatre colleague Divya, who came from a well-off family in Delhi’s Lajpat Nagar. Their courtship was filled with happy memories, and the couple eventually got married. However, after Manoj moved to Mumbai to pursue his acting dreams, their relationship began to fall apart.
The separation deeply affected him, leaving him struggling with guilt, self-doubt, and depression. He returned to Delhi for some time and leaned on his family for support as he coped with the painful divorce and personal crisis.
A turning point came when Mahesh Bhatt cast him in the TV serial Swabhimaan. He hugged Manoj and encouraged him not to leave Mumbai, predicting he would achieve great success.
Got fame from ‘Satya’
Manoj wanted to play the iconic character Langda Tyagi in the movie Omkara, but lost the role for financial reasons.
Later, Ram Gopal Varma, who had been searching for him since Bandit Queen, gave him the iconic role of Bhiku Mhatre in Satya (1998). The film changed everything. The famous line “Mumbai ka king kaun?” was improvised by Manoj on the spot.
Manoj did Zubeidaa for free as he wanted to work with the director Shyam Benegal. He was also adamant that Manoj to play the lead. Karisma Kapoor was the lead actress.
Despite Satya’s success, work remained irregular for some time. Films like Shool, Aks, and Raajneeti followed. Over the years, Manoj delivered memorable performances in Gangs of Wassepur, The Family Man, Paan Singh Tomar, Bhonsle, and many more.
Awarded with Padma Shri in 2019
He has won four National Awards and is celebrated for his versatility from intense gangsters to everyday characters.
Manoj Bajpayee’s love story with actress Shabana Raza
Manoj fell in love with actress Shabana Raza, also known as Neha. Their story is one of Bollywood’s most enduring relationships. The two reportedly met through common friends in the late 1990s, when both were building their careers in the film industry.
Manoj Bajpayee with his wife Neha and daughter Ava Nayla.
Their friendship gradually blossomed into love, and they chose to keep their relationship away from the media spotlight. After dating for several years, the couple tied the knot in 2006. Despite the challenges of the entertainment industry, they have maintained a strong bond built on trust, understanding, and mutual respect. Today, they are proud parents to their daughter, Ava Nayla.
Today, Manoj Bajpayee stands as a true inspiration, a self-made actor whose journey from a small Bihar village to Bollywood stardom is nothing short of a movie script.
