Romance on screen is usually painted with young faces, fresh beginnings, and stories of twenty-somethings falling in love. But what happens when one of India’s finest actors, known for gritty and real characters, talks about stepping into romance? Manoj Bajpayee has the answer. And, it’s somewhat refreshingly honest.
In a recent chat, the ‘Gangs of Wasseypur’ star was asked if he ever felt like joining his contemporaries who are now taking up romantic films.
His response was straight from the heart: “You can’t imagine me doing a 25-year-old falling in love with a 20-year-old girl. I will never touch that or take such a risk in this life. But if the story is right, and the romance is age-appropriate, then why not? Love is not bound by age. If a well-written script about two middle-aged people comes my way, I would be happy to do it.”
This clarity sums up Bajpayee’s career choices. For decades, he has stayed away from stereotypes, preferring depth and authenticity over glamour.
Instead of chasing conventional ‘hero roles,’ he has built a reputation for portraying layered, complex, and very real characters.
Also Read: Manoj Bajpayee reveals why he loves playing everyday middle-class characters
When asked if he ever feels typecast in middle-class roles, Manoj Bajpayee laughed off the idea. For him, these roles are not limitations but opportunities.
“I enjoy playing common people. I relate to them. Whenever I read a new character, I feel like I’ve seen them somewhere in real life, in a documentary, or during my early days in Mumbai when I used to travel in trains. These characters feel real because they are real.”
That eye for reality comes from his theatre background. Bajpayee shared an amusing memory from his theatre days when he once asked a director if constant observation of people could land actors in trouble.
“I told him, ‘We can’t keep staring at people all the time, they’ll beat us up. Why are you looking at me?’” The director gave him a lesson that stayed with him forever. “He said, ‘Observation becomes part of an actor’s personality. Even if you’re not directly looking at someone, you’re still observing. That’s what actors do.’”
For Bajpayee, this skill is what brings authenticity to his performances. Whether it’s Sardar Khan in ‘Wasseypur’ or Srikant Tiwari in ‘The Family Man’, his characters carry shades of people we know in our own lives. They are flawed, real, and relatable.