Image may be NSFW.
Clik here to view.
Missing is likely to be his first and last attempt at production unless he has close friends pitching in...
Chaya Unnikrishnan (DNA; May 9, 2016)
While Aligarh had him bringing to life the troubled professor Ramchandra Siras whose death was shrouded in mystery, Traffic a remake of a Malayalam film has him playing a cop who is entrusted with the job of transferring an organ for transplant from Mumbai to Pune within a stipulated time.
“This incident happened in Chennai years ago, though now you get to hear about it often. Traffic has become so congested and complicated that transferring an organ in time has become quite impossible,” says Manoj who came in close contact with the cops during the making of the film. “I went to the police quarters and found that they live in dilapidated buildings. They earn a meagre salary, and are on their feet all day long for hours together,” says the actor who moved by the plight of traffic cops even presented them with fluoroscent jackets.
Saat Uchakkey, which has been sent for Censor clearance, has him playing the leader of a team of loafers. “It revolves around seven loafers from Chandni Chowk in Delhi who are looking to make quick money. My character wants to get married so wants to become rich overnight,” shares the actor. The film’s trailer that recently got leaked on the social media is full of expletives, which can go against the film. “I don’t know how the trailer got leaked, but we will go by what the Board says. As for the abusive language, well that’s the way people living in that area communicate,” justifies Manoj.
After Saat Uchakkey comes Missing, which has Manoj teaming up with Tabu. It’s also the film with which the actor turns producer. “Neeraj Pandey, a dear friend of mine and the producer of the film initially, approached me for a role. I loved the script and that’s when he suggested that I co-produce the film. I think it was mainly because at that time, he was busy with Baby and wanted somebody to take responsibility for Missing,” jokes the actor.
Ask him about his experience as a producer and he candidly confesses that he “went through hell”. “It’s a tough job for me to do both — acting and producing. Also, my family was there when I was shooting and that time my daughter was three years old. She needed my attention — I would take her to the swimming pool, the beach, report on the sets, learn my lines and keep looking at the watch to see who is coming late, how much the director has shot, etc. I was like a headmaster and my blood pressure started going haywire. What I am happy about is the end result, which is fantastic. I feel I have put in so much and excelled in every department,” reveals Manoj.
Does that mean that he won’t act in the movies that he produces in the future? Manoj takes a long pause before blurting out, “I will not produce in the first place!” He feels he is not cut out to be a producer. “Even Tabu told me I am not right for the job. It’s a different ballgame altogether. It’s a thankless job. No matter what you do, how comfortable you make the others on sets, somebody is always dissatisfied,” he grouses. So, Missing will be his first and last production? “Yes, unless some close buddies who are honest and transparent take over and I line produce, I don’t think I will,” he states.
Besides Missing, which he says is a psychological thriller with just three characters — he, Tabu and Annu Kapoor — Manoj is upbeat about Duronto, which won a National Award. The film is based on a real-life story of of a five-year old boy Budhia, who ran the marathon and his coach Biranchi, who was shot dead. Manoj plays the role of the mentor. Ask him whether he is consciously doing films that are rooted in reality and he denies it. “What matters is the story, it has to be engaging and unique, which all these films are,” he quips.
What about masala movies? Don’t they interest him? “In the beginning. I wanted to work with new directors, be a part of novel stories, so I ended up sitting at home. Now those films are happening and commercial filmmakers have a perception that I am against them. I would like to be a part of good story-telling, but it can’t be the same formula. They have to be something to write home about like Neerja, Airlift, Bajirao Mastani and Fan,” he signs off.
Clik here to view.
Missing is likely to be his first and last attempt at production unless he has close friends pitching in...
Chaya Unnikrishnan (DNA; May 9, 2016)
For the first time in his two-decade-old career, Manoj Bajpayee will have five films of his releasing in the same year. Aligarh and Traffic have released and the former has won him acclaim. His upcoming films are Saat Ucchakkey, Missing and Duronto that will hit the screens within two months of each other. “Traffic and Saat Ucchakkey were to release last year but they got delayed. What excites me is all the five films are completely different and so are my characters,” he smiles.
While Aligarh had him bringing to life the troubled professor Ramchandra Siras whose death was shrouded in mystery, Traffic a remake of a Malayalam film has him playing a cop who is entrusted with the job of transferring an organ for transplant from Mumbai to Pune within a stipulated time.
“This incident happened in Chennai years ago, though now you get to hear about it often. Traffic has become so congested and complicated that transferring an organ in time has become quite impossible,” says Manoj who came in close contact with the cops during the making of the film. “I went to the police quarters and found that they live in dilapidated buildings. They earn a meagre salary, and are on their feet all day long for hours together,” says the actor who moved by the plight of traffic cops even presented them with fluoroscent jackets.
Saat Uchakkey, which has been sent for Censor clearance, has him playing the leader of a team of loafers. “It revolves around seven loafers from Chandni Chowk in Delhi who are looking to make quick money. My character wants to get married so wants to become rich overnight,” shares the actor. The film’s trailer that recently got leaked on the social media is full of expletives, which can go against the film. “I don’t know how the trailer got leaked, but we will go by what the Board says. As for the abusive language, well that’s the way people living in that area communicate,” justifies Manoj.
After Saat Uchakkey comes Missing, which has Manoj teaming up with Tabu. It’s also the film with which the actor turns producer. “Neeraj Pandey, a dear friend of mine and the producer of the film initially, approached me for a role. I loved the script and that’s when he suggested that I co-produce the film. I think it was mainly because at that time, he was busy with Baby and wanted somebody to take responsibility for Missing,” jokes the actor.
Ask him about his experience as a producer and he candidly confesses that he “went through hell”. “It’s a tough job for me to do both — acting and producing. Also, my family was there when I was shooting and that time my daughter was three years old. She needed my attention — I would take her to the swimming pool, the beach, report on the sets, learn my lines and keep looking at the watch to see who is coming late, how much the director has shot, etc. I was like a headmaster and my blood pressure started going haywire. What I am happy about is the end result, which is fantastic. I feel I have put in so much and excelled in every department,” reveals Manoj.
Does that mean that he won’t act in the movies that he produces in the future? Manoj takes a long pause before blurting out, “I will not produce in the first place!” He feels he is not cut out to be a producer. “Even Tabu told me I am not right for the job. It’s a different ballgame altogether. It’s a thankless job. No matter what you do, how comfortable you make the others on sets, somebody is always dissatisfied,” he grouses. So, Missing will be his first and last production? “Yes, unless some close buddies who are honest and transparent take over and I line produce, I don’t think I will,” he states.
Besides Missing, which he says is a psychological thriller with just three characters — he, Tabu and Annu Kapoor — Manoj is upbeat about Duronto, which won a National Award. The film is based on a real-life story of of a five-year old boy Budhia, who ran the marathon and his coach Biranchi, who was shot dead. Manoj plays the role of the mentor. Ask him whether he is consciously doing films that are rooted in reality and he denies it. “What matters is the story, it has to be engaging and unique, which all these films are,” he quips.
What about masala movies? Don’t they interest him? “In the beginning. I wanted to work with new directors, be a part of novel stories, so I ended up sitting at home. Now those films are happening and commercial filmmakers have a perception that I am against them. I would like to be a part of good story-telling, but it can’t be the same formula. They have to be something to write home about like Neerja, Airlift, Bajirao Mastani and Fan,” he signs off.