Manoj Bajpayee says he was close to committing suicide.

Manoj Bajpayee is a renowned actor and is known widely for his strong roles in the movies. Recently, in an interview with the Official Human’s of Bombay, Manoj Bajpayee opened up about his early days of struggle and how he was on the verge of suicide.

Manoj Bajpayee was passionate about acting since the age of 9 and has gained a reputed place in the heart of the film industry. Being an outsider to the industry, this actor had to face multiple rejections at the start of his career that led him to a breaking point, but eventually fought hard and gained success.

Bajpayee said to the Official Human’s of Bombay “I’m a farmer’s son; I grew up in a village in Bihar with 5 siblings–we went to a hut school. We led a simple life, but whenever we went to the city, we’d go to the theater.”

His will to be in the cinema was stronger than ever and he left home at the age of 17 and worked hard towards his dream of becoming an actor and joined Delhi University. He says “My family had no idea. Finally, I wrote a letter to dad–he wasn’t angry & even sent me Rs.200 to cover my fees! People back home called me ‘good for nothing’ but I turned a blind eye.”

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“I’m a farmer’s son; I grew up in a village in Bihar with 5 siblings–we went to a hut school. We led a simple life, but whenever we went to the city, we’d go to the theatre. I was a Bachchan fan & wanted to be like him. At 9, I knew acting was my destiny. But I couldn’t afford to dream & continued my studies. Still, my mind refused to focus on anything else, so at 17, I left for DU. There, I did theatre but my family had no idea. Finally, I wrote a letter to dad–he wasn’t angry & even sent me Rs.200 to cover my fees! People back home called me ‘good for nothing’ but I turned a blind eye. I was an outsider, trying to fit in. So, I taught myself English & Hindi–Bhojpuri was a big part of how I spoke. I then applied to NSD, but was rejected thrice. I was close to committing suicide, so my friends would sleep next to me & not leave me alone. They kept me going until I was accepted. That year, I was at a chai shop when Tigmanshu came looking for me on his khatara scooter–Shekhar Kapur wanted to cast me in Bandit Queen! So I felt I was ready & moved to Mumbai. Initially, it was tough–I rented a chawl with 5 friends & looked for work, but got no roles. Once, an AD tore my photo & I’ve lost 3 projects in a day. I was even told to ‘get out’ after my 1st shot. I didn’t fit the ideal ‘hero’ face–so they thought I’d never make it to the big screen. All the while, I struggled to make rent & at times even a vada pav was costly. But the hunger in my stomach couldn’t dissuade my hunger to succeed. After 4 years of struggle, I got a role in Mahesh Bhatt’s TV series. I got Rs.1500 per episode–my first steady income. My work was noticed & I was offered my first Bollywood film & soon, I got my big break with ‘Satya’. That’s when the awards rolled in. I bought my first house & knew…I was here to stay. 67 films later, here I am. That’s the thing about dreams–when it comes to turning them into reality, the hardships don’t matter. What matters is the belief of that 9-year-old Bihari boy & nothing else.” — HOB with @sonylivindia brings to you the story of Manoj Bajpayee, whose life has come full circle. To watch his award winning performance in Bhonsle, click on the link in bio!

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Talking about his days of constant struggle, Bajpayee said that he had faced a lot of rejections despite a lot of hard work. “I then applied to NSD but was rejected thrice. I was close to committing suicide, so my friends would sleep next to me & not leave me alone. They kept me going until I was accepted.”

However, after this struggle, in the very same year, Manoj Bajpayee was approached for Bandit Queen and he decided to move to Mumbai for the same. He rented a room in a chawl with his 5 friends. The first steady income for Bajpayee was by the television series produced by Mahesh Bhatt.  “After 4 years of struggle, I got a role in Mahesh Bhatt’s TV series. I got Rs.1500 per episode–my first steady income. My work was noticed & I was offered my first Bollywood film & soon, I got my big break with ‘Satya’.”

The actor has given some brilliant performances in the industry and has received critical acclaims for his role.

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