New Delhi: Actor Manoj Bajpayee stated that he often received criticism for his appearance. He said that he entered the movie business at a period when there was a clear definition of what a hero should look like, and he thought that he didn't fit that mould.
In an interview with journalist Barkha Dutt for the television show Mojo Story, he recalled once being told by "a very famous heroine" during his struggle days,“Manoj, I don’t find you good looking.”
The actor, however, stated that he didn't take offence because he already accepted this idea. In fact, Manoj was so surprised by director Shyam Benegal's casting decision for him in the movie 'Zubeidaa' that he questioned the director's word. Manoj believed he wasn't cut out to be a prince.
“Good looks are always defined by the way heroes look in our cinema,” Manoj said.
“This is where I’m always thankful to Shyam Benegal. He made the decision to cast me in Zubeidaa, and I went to him to ask him, ‘Why are you doing this? Don’t cast me as a prince, I don’t look like a prince.’ And he looked at me, and said, ‘Why do you say that?'”
Manoj said that he used to be "very under-confident," but he has evolved because of "the journey" he has had in the film industry. “In life, I was very under-confident, but on stage, it was the opposite,” he said.
The actor also recalled that Yash Chopra had told him straight out that he probably wouldn't cast him in another movie after 'Veer-Zara' since he didn't think Manoj fit the type of movies he made.
"We grew up watching his films! We used to chat for long, both Yash ji and me. He was very clear in telling me, ‘I don’t make films for an actor like you, so I don’t think I would have anything else in the future, but this is very good and it will be great if you agree to do it.’ He was such a humble man," he told Humans of Bombay.
Manoj Bajpayee was last seen in Disney Hotstar original film 'Gulmohar'.