Renowned actor Manoj Bajpayee, known for his powerful performances, is currently occupied with promoting his upcoming film, “Sirf Ek Bandaa Kaafi Hai.” The film is set to release on an OTT platform on May 23. In the midst of these promotional activities, Manoj recently expressed his thoughts on Sushant Singh Rajput and also touched upon the subject of nepotism prevalent in the industry.
During an interview with Aaj Tak, Manoj shared his perspective on nepotism within the industry, a term frequently discussed and often leading to trolling of star kids on social media. Manoj revealed that nepotism never affected him personally since star kids wouldn’t choose to do the kind of films he does. He stated, “If Nawaz (uddin Siddiqui) does it, or if Irrfan (Khan) were alive, he would do it, or even if Kay Kay Menon does it. These are not commercial films, so nobody pays attention to them or invests their money in them. Therefore, I must add that you cannot use this as an excuse all the time. Don’t waste your energy. Do theater instead. If you’re a talented actor, you can even earn money by performing on the streets.”
Moving on, he was asked about Sushant’s tragic death. Sushant, best known for his portrayal of MS Dhoni in “MS Dhoni: The Untold Story,” passed away on June 14, 2020. He was found dead in his Bandra apartment. Following his demise, conversations surrounding nepotism took social media by storm. During the interview, Manoj revealed that he was deeply affected by the news on a personal level. He also mentioned their close bond while working together on the film “Sonchiriya.” Manoj shared, “We became really close, and he had a lot of affection for me. I would often cook mutton on set, and he would always come by to eat. We never expected him to take such a drastic step, but he did confide in me about his struggles.”
Manoj further stated that Sushant couldn’t cope with the politics and cliques prevalent in the industry. He added, “Politics always exists in the industry, but it becomes dirtier as you climb the ladder of success. I never had an issue because I was stubborn and had a thick skin. However, he wasn’t like that and couldn’t handle the pressure. He expressed his concerns to me about how these things affected him.” When asked if Sushant was a victim of nepotism, Manoj replied, “If you want to be a Manoj Bajpayee, there is no politics. But he wanted to be a star, and there’s intense competition in that space. Anyone who enters the industry aspiring to be a star would strive to secure that position. Unfortunately, he couldn’t handle it. I have come to realize that he was a pure soul, like a child at heart. He couldn’t comprehend the manipulation that was required.”
