Manoj Bajpayee is an Indian film actor who works in Hindi cinema and has also done Telugu and Tamil language films. He is the recipient of two National Film Awards and three Filmfare Awards.
He was on born on April 23rd, 1969 in Belwa, a small village in Narkatiaganj, Bihar. He is a farmer’s son, who grew up with 5 siblings and we went to a hut school. He was a Bachchan fan & wanted to be like him. From the age of 9 years he was sure about his career.
At the age of 17, Manoj left for Delhi University and started doing theatre, without telling his family. Manoj learnt English and Hindi, and applied to the prestigious National School of Drama. Where he was rejected three times in a row, he was suicidal but his friends got him through his low phase. He continued to do theatre while studying in the college.
Manoj Bajpayee Movies
Bajpayee made his feature film debut with the one-minute role in Drohkaal (1994), and a minor role of dacoit in Shekhar Kapoor’s movie Bandit Queen.
After few unnoticed roles, he played gangster Bhiku Mhatre in Ram Gopal Varma’s 1998 crime drama Satya, which proved to be a breakthrough. Bajpayee received the National Film Award for Best Supporting Actor and Filmfare Critics Award for Best Actor for the film.
He then acted in films like Kaun (1999), and Shool (1999). For the latter, he won his second Filmfare Critics Award for Best Actor. Bajpayee further played the role of a prince with two wives in Zubeidaa (2001), a serial killer in Aks (2001).
He then appeared in political thriller Raajneeti (2010) followed by Gangs of Wasseypur in 2012. His next roles were of a naxalite in Chakravyuh (2012) and a CBI officer in Special 26 (2013). In 2016, he portrayed professor Ramchandra Siras, in Hansal Mehta’s biographical drama Aligarh, for which he won his third Filmfare Critics Award for Best Actor.
Manoj Bajpayee Awards
Bajpayee won the Special Jury National Award for Pinjar (2003).
Personal Life
Manoj Bajpayee 1st Marriage
Not many know that Manoj was married when he first started out in Bollywood. It is said to have been an arranged marriage to a girl from his native Bihar. The actor, who is very private about his life, has not spoken much about his old life; so much so that even her name is not known. The marriage took place in the early 1990s, right when he was gaining the foothold in the industry. In 1994, Manoj was chosen by Shekhar Kapoor to act in the acclaimed Bandit Queen. The same year, he moved to Bombay for better opportunities, which sadly would elude him for some more time. The pressure of financial constraints and the long-distance relationship (with his wife in New Delhi) was too much for the pair, who decided to part ways in 1995.
The year 1998 was an eventful year for him. Not only was the much-acclaimed Satya released this year but also Vidhu Vinod Chopra’s romantic flick Kareeb starring Neha, a fresh-faced model, and Bobby Deol hit the silver screens and Manoj gained limelight. It was Neha’s first Bollywood movie, for which Chopra changed her name! The actress, born Shabana Raza, has since reverted to her old name. Moving on to the love story. This was also the momentous year when the actors finally met.
After many years of dating and getting to know each other, the couple decided to finalize the deal. The actors made it legal in 2006. From 1998 to 2006, they had indeed come a long, long way. The couple was blessed with their first child, a daughter named Ava Nailah, in 2011. It doesn’t get better than finding the right companionship and forging a love of everlasting friendship. The relationship of Manoj and Shabana is based on the same strong bedrock.