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Manoj Bajpayee reveals he used to ‘starve all day’ and was chased away by production people in his early career days: ‘It was hell’
In a recent interview with Mint, Satya actor Manoj Bajpayee recalled his early struggles in Mumbai when he used to 'starve' all day owing to financial challenges.
Every day, countless people travel to Mumbai with the dream of being an actor, but only a few of them can make the cut. Recently, Manoj Bajpayee recalled his struggle in Mumbai when he tried to make a name for himself in the industry but dealt with 'starvation' and health challenges and was 'chased out by production people,’ making the situation more difficult.
Manoj Bajpayee recently sat down with entrepreneur Ritesh Agarwal for Mint and recalled his struggle in Mumbai. The actor, who earlier resided in Mukherjee Nagar in Delhi, revealed he used to stay in small rooftop rooms (Barsati) where they faced difficult times with extreme heat in summer and chilly winter seasons.
Recalling the same, he said, "The only advantage of a barsati is that they are cheap. But it used to get extremely hot in the summers and extremely cold in the winters. If the temperature outside was 40 degrees, it would feel like 45 degrees inside. It was hell."
Despite the harsh living conditions, Bajpayee continued to face the challenges because he was pursuing acting in the National School of Drama (NSD). His dedication to improving his craft kept him going, and his friends paid or arranged for his meals to ensure he didn't sleep without having food.
He mentioned, "Theatre didn't pay me, but it kept me busy. I worked for 18 hours. And I never slept hungry, thanks to my friends. Even if I missed lunch, my friends would share half their chapati with me."
However, the situation became more severe when he shifted to Mumbai without money and went from one studio to another for auditions. The lack of work left him without food. Moreover, he felt low physically and emotionally while dealing with all the struggles.
"I would starve the whole day. Production people would chase us out when we would approach them for work," he shared.
Despite the challenges, the Gangs Of Wasseypur actor didn't give up and found an innovative way to find food. He used to visit film sets just before lunch and find someone he knew on set. As a result, the person used to invite him for meals and didn't have to starve.
After enduring all these struggles, Manoj Bajpayee has successfully established himself in the industry with stellar performances in films like Satya, Sirf Ek Bandaa, Gulmohar, and Satyameva Jayati. His journey from a small village in Bihar to success inspires many aspiring actors who dream of making it big in Bollywood.
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