Manoj Bajpayee, renowned for his versatile and intense performances, has long been a respected name in Indian cinema. However, despite his critical acclaim and the commercial success of projects like The Family Man, the actor recently voiced his frustrations over being typecast. In a candid conversation with Bombay Times, Bajpayee opened up about the industry’s hesitation to cast him in roles that deviate from the middle-class or lower-middle-class characters he has become synonymous with. The actor lamented how rarely he is considered for wealthy or high-society roles, despite his wide range of acting abilities.
Manoj Bajpayee on Typecasting
In his discussion, Bajpayee touched on the persistent issue of stereotyping that has followed him throughout his career. “Mujhe rich dikhaane mein dikkat hoti hai,” he said, highlighting the industry’s reluctance to cast him as a wealthy character. The comment reflects a deeper frustration with how certain actors, despite their talent and versatility, are often boxed into specific types of roles due to their physical appearance or past performances.
Bajpayee shared his rare experiences of playing affluent characters, most notably in the 2023 film Gulmohar, where he portrayed a well-off man—a rarity in his extensive filmography. Prior to this, the only other instance where he played a wealthy character was in Shyam Benegal’s Zubeidaa (2001), where he portrayed a maharaja. Reflecting on that role, he explained, “Shyam Benegal believed that real maharajas didn’t need to look like Greek gods, but could be normal-looking people.” This, he said, was a rare instance of a director challenging conventional beauty standards and choosing to focus on the authenticity of a character rather than fitting them into a specific mold.
In another notable departure from his usual roles, Yash Chopra cast Bajpayee as a Pakistani politician in Veer-Zaara (2004) after watching his performance in Pinjar (2003). Despite these exceptional cases, Bajpayee emphasized how unusual it is for directors to envision him in such roles. “Bakiyonko mujhe rich dikhaane mein dikkat hoti hai,” he reiterated, expressing that while some filmmakers have taken risks, many still struggle to see him beyond the working-class characters that have defined much of his career.
Challenges with Casting Directors
Bajpayee’s concerns extend beyond just the roles he is offered. He pointed out that casting directors often resort to a certain visual stereotype when selecting actors for roles depicting wealth or high social status. The actor, who has often been cast as the everyman in films like Aligarh (2015), Satya (1998), and Gangs of Wasseypur (2012), finds himself limited by the industry’s preconceptions about how wealthy characters should look.
While Bajpayee has excelled in portraying grounded, working-class roles, he believes that an actor’s true potential lies in their ability to take on a wide variety of characters, irrespective of their socioeconomic background. For him, the tendency to limit an actor based on physical appearance or past roles stifles creativity and hinders the storytelling process.
A Prolific Year for Manoj Bajpayee
Despite the challenges of typecasting, 2024 has been a standout year for Manoj Bajpayee. The actor has featured in three films—The Fable, Silence 2, and Bhaiya Ji—and also made waves with the Netflix series Killer Soup. Each of these projects showcases Bajpayee’s depth and ability to disappear into his characters, further cementing his status as one of India’s finest actors.
More Read
In addition to these releases, Bajpayee is currently working on the next season of The Family Man, the Amazon Prime Video series that has become one of his most popular and critically acclaimed projects to date. The show, in which he plays a middle-class intelligence officer balancing his work and personal life, has received praise for its writing, direction, and, of course, Bajpayee’s performance. His role as Srikant Tiwari, a man navigating the complexities of family and national security, has made him a household name and further showcased his talent for portraying multi-layered characters.
Breaking the Mold
Manoj Bajpayee’s concerns about typecasting speak to a larger issue in the film industry—how actors are often limited by preconceived notions of what they should look like or the kinds of roles they should play. His candid admission about the difficulty of being cast as a wealthy character reflects the challenges many actors face in breaking free from the roles they are traditionally offered.
However, with his impressive lineup of projects in 2024 and the continued success of The Family Man, Bajpayee is proving that he is more than capable of transcending these limitations. Whether portraying a middle-class man or a maharaja, Bajpayee’s commitment to his craft and his ability to bring authenticity to his roles ensure that he remains one of India’s most respected and versatile actors.
