Manoj Bajpayee may be one of India's finest performers, but if there's one thing that can get him truly snappy, it's a night shoot. In a fun conversation with the cast and creators of The Family Man, director Raj Nidimoru revealed that Manoj simply does not function after 10 PM.
"He gets snappy post 10 PM. Manoj goes to bed at 9 PM and wakes up at 4.30 AM," Raj said. Which is why during night shoots, Manoj is always the first to say, "Raj, one scene, okay let's wrap."
The discipline shows so much so that even Anurag Kashyap believes Manoj is "ageing backwards."
Anurag had once told him during Gangs of Wasseypur to lose weight because of the action sequences. In an interview with NDTV Kashyap said once he started, he never stopped. But when this was brought up, Bajpayee couldn't resist taking a playful dig at Kashyap: "He is one of those guys... because of his buri nazar I am constantly having bone problems. This problem, that problem... nazar lagti hai aise logon ki," he joked.
Raj added another observation-Manoj is the only person on any set, no matter where they are shooting, that people immediately recognise. From Kashmir to Arunachal to Chennai, every wrap-up party comes with the same request from fans: "Sir, just one time, please dance to Sapne Mein Milti Hai."
Manoj is officially done with it.
"Every time... now it just irks me completely. Going anywhere and the entry song is this Sapne Mein Milti Hai," he said. But fans may soon have a new favourite.
"I've just finished a film with Ram Gopal Varma and there's a song in it that's going to change all that, and I have danced on it," he added. Manoj also expressed gratitude toward the Telugu directors who've shaped his journey.
"I am very grateful to three Telugu directors who've given me memorable characters-Ram Gopal Varma garu, Raj Nidimoru garu, and Krishna D.K. garu."
The actor also revealed the latest favourite in his home-no, it's not him. We all know Bajpayee's teenage daughter has been a longtime fan of Sharib Hashmi's JK in The Family Man. But there's a new entrant: Bhau Kadam. Manoj said his daughter latest favourite is Bhau Kadam after watching him in Inspector Zende.
"But JK is the perpetual favourite. I am just a vegetable at home," he laughed, referring to the phrase ghar ki murgi daal barabar.
As for the third season of The Family Man, Manoj's family has already charted out a viewing plan. His daughter has issued strict instructions: no one is allowed to watch without her. When she returns from boarding school, mother and daughter will binge-watch together.
"For a few episodes definitely, I have to be there, while I'll be busy on my phone because usually, I don't watch myself. I find it very uncomfortable," he admitted.
The Family Man begins streaming from November 21, and if Manoj's stories are anything to go by, his fans and his family have a binge-fest coming.
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