Few friendships in Bollywood have endured the way Anurag Kashyap and Manoj Bajpayee's have. From their early days on the sets of Satya in the late 1990s to their game-changing collaboration on Gangs of Wasseypur in 2012, the filmmaker and the actor have been bound by mutual respect, candour and the freedom to call each other out.
That candour surfaced again recently when Manoj Bajpayee, speaking about Kashyap, called him "too emotional for his own good." In an earlier interview, Bajpayee had said, "Anurag Kashyap has made too many enemies, broken his own hand in anger. I am more practical than him." It was classic Manoj - part affection, part exasperation - and very public.
Kashyap, speaking exclusively to NDTV, admitted that Bajpayee's tough love has shaped him. "He's said this to me in front of everyone," Kashyap revealed. "That I unnecessarily give wrong validations and pick pointless fights. He tells me, 'You stand up for anyone, anywhere. No one stands up for you - can't you see that?'"
The filmmaker said it's this unvarnished honesty that defines their friendship. "He says the same things straight to my face. That's what our friendship is about," he said. "My producer Ranjan Singh, my partner, a lot of friends - they all tell me the same thing. I'm trying to change," he added.
Their easy camaraderie was visible at the Mumbai premiere of Jugnuma, Raam Reddy's new film starring Bajpayee. The night produced a viral moment: Jaideep Ahlawat, Vijay Varma and Kashyap himself lined up to touch Bajpayee's feet, a rare public gesture of respect that left the actor visibly moved. Fans on social media called it "wholesome" and praised the genuine bond between the stars.
Kashyap also praised Bajpayee's discipline and longevity. "Did you look at Manoj Bajpayee? How does that man keep going on? He's getting younger and younger, like a real-life Dorian Gray. He's another Anil Kapoor," Kashyap said. He revealed Bajpayee's transformation began during Gangs of Wasseypur in 2012. "That's when he started losing weight because the role needed flexibility. He stopped eating after lunch, and he's continued that for 15 years," Kashyap noted.
Though rumours of a fallout surfaced during promotions of Bhaiyya Ji last year, Bajpayee later clarified it was only a minor misunderstanding amplified by social media.
