Manoj Bajpayee's Father Once Auditioned At FTII In Presence Of Manoj Kumar, Dharmendra On The Campus

Manoj Bajpayee's father Radhakant Bajpayee had once auditioned for an acting course at the Film and Television Institute of India in Pune. 

New Delhi: Renowned actor Manoj Bajpayee's journey to success in Hindi cinema includes his early struggles and rejections. The actor has shared many times that he was rejected by the National School of Drama (NSD). A new biography on the actor’s life reveals that his father Radhakant Bajpayee had once auditioned for an acting course at the Film and Television Institute of India in Pune. 

Manoj Bajpayee's father auditioned for FTII
According to Piyush Pandey's book titled ‘Manoj Bajpayee: The Definitive Biography,’ Radhakant shared his passion for films with his son. The book reveals that Radhakant, too, harboured dreams of entering the world of acting and even auditioned for an acting course at the prestigious Film and Television Institute of India (FTII) in Pune. 

"While cleaning our house during the Chhath festival, we found a prospectus of the Pune Film Institute in father's belongings. Manoj also saw it. Then our father revealed how his college's botany department had taken them on a trip to Pune. 

"Because he had heard of the institute, he went to the campus. Auditions were taking place at that time. He too auditioned for an acting course. The interesting thing is the presence of Manoj Kumar and Dharmendra on the campus during the same time," read the book, quoting Manoj's elder sister Kamini Shukla. 

Manoj Bajpayee's father used to work as 'film babu'
The book also unveils Radhakant's connection with cinema during his college days when he worked as a part-time 'Film Babu,' responsible for transporting film reel boxes from distributors to theaters. Radhakant's passion for cinema extended beyond his job, as he was an avid follower of actors such as Dilip Kumar, Motilal, and Dev Anand. He harbored a deep regret that his son, Manoj, never had the chance to share the screen with these iconic stars. 

"I used to read Filmfare and watch many films. I liked Motilal and Dev Anand, apart from Dilip Kumar. Motilal and Dilip Kumar were actors, but Dev Anand was a hero. Come to think of it, my son [Manoj] also received more fame as an actor than a hero in his career," Radhakant recalled in the book. 

Radhakant Bajpayee passed away at the age of 83 in October 2021. 

Piyush Pandey's biography offers a comprehensive insight into Manoj Bajpayee's life and his journey to become one of Hindi cinema's most celebrated actors.