Manoj Bajpayee shares his wife felt ‘insulted’ over his film choice: Stop doing films for money

Almost 25 years ago, Manoj Bajpayee made his mark in Bollywood with his iconic portrayal of Bhiku Mhatre in Ram Gopal Varma's Satya. Recently, he opened up about the challenges he faced in his career, where he "occasionally" had to "prioritise financial stability over creative satisfaction." He also spoke about how his wife Shabana Raza was disappointed after watching the film he took for monetary reasons.

'I needed money to survive'

In an interview with Film Companion, Manoj Bajpayee said that he had signed film projects primarily for financial reasons, especially during his downtime. He stressed that actors should not regret such decisions when they are essential for their survival. He stated, "They shouldn't regret if they do something for money, to run the kitchen."

The actor explained that accepting roles for financial gain may seem like taking a few steps back in one's career but it can be viewed as a strategic move to prepare for a brighter future. He shared that his decision to do so was born out of necessity. He said that he needed financial stability to navigate the challenging environment of Mumbai. "I needed money to survive in this city, which is fine. I never regretted it. I still own those films very proudly," Manoj added.

Manoj Bajpayee reveals his wife was 'embarrassed in theatre'

Manoj Bajpayee said that his commitment to his craft was reaffirmed when his wife, Shabana Raza, expressed her disappointment after watching him in a film he took primarily for monetary reasons. He shared that his wife felt "insulted" and "humiliated" and encouraged him to choose roles that better reflected his talent.

"It was a bad film, bad film. After the film she called me and I asked how she liked the film, and she [Shabana] said, ‘Stop doing films for money. We are not so desperate that you did it for money. It was embarrassing, I felt insulted, and humiliated in the theatre, don’t ever do it, please! You are good at stories and characters, please choose them, not these films, you don’t need to prove anything else," Manoj said.