Manoj Bajpayee: Actors have all kinds of ambitions, I don’t judge them for it

Manoj Bajpayee is known for his critical acclaimed films, and makes it to the list of commercially bankable actors too, which many Bollywood filmmakers will vouch for. However, the 48-year-old actor feels an actor can either aim to earn big, or just act for the love of it.

“I don’t generalise actors. People have all kinds of ambitions. If people dream of making it big commercially, then kudos to them. But if somebody really wants to continue in theatre, then you should support them too. Some choose to come to Mumbai, some choose to stay in Delhi and others go back to their home town and start their theatre activity and serve the theatre scene there,” says Bajpayee, who studied in National School of Drama, before joining the Bollywood industry.

About why he took up acting in the first place, Bajpayee, who originally hails from Bihar, adds, “I went to Delhi to get formal training in theatre. I wanted to be better prepared before going to Mumbai. Then I got immersed in theatre in Delhi, and stopped looking ahead. It was Shekhar Kapur who convinced me that we should go to Mumbai and earn money because theatre never had any money, which could help us support our families. And that’s how I moved to Mumbai and got into films.”