Manoj Bajpayee has built his 30-year career on critically praised movies, but the actor claims there was a time when his decision to deliberately leave independent filmmaking was questioned because there was no audience for his work. The National Award winner’s career was drastically altered by the rise of OTT (over-the-top) platforms when she made her digital debut in 2019 with Amazon Video’s The Family Man.
Manoj Bajpayee during his recent appearance on The Kapil Sharma Show.
The actor used the overwhelmingly positive reception for his 2017 psychological thriller Gali Guleiyan to explain his disappointment when the festival’s top picture failed to get viewers to the theaters despite receiving favorable press. “Somewhere down the line, a few years back, I began to lose faith in independent film, and my only option was to go and support them because the public was not showing any interest in going to the theaters and watching them.
“At that point, I began to wonder if I was making the right decision in choosing to promote indie film. People watching it is really essential to me, and if they are not watching it, I will tell four to five people about it. Not prepared to produce movies for somebody who would act in that manner.” Check that out. There was no OTT back then.
The actor claimed that OTT happened to him, particularly at a time when he had no desire to experiment with the medium. After the phenomenal success of Raj and DK’s spy thriller series The Family Man, things began to improve. “I was considering that if I am offered OTT, I won’t contribute to the chaos. I had declined numerous series. The Family Man followed, and I began working with Raj and DK.
“Yet it was unthinkable to achieve that level of accomplishment in the first season. When the epidemic struck, the second season arrived and shattered every record. India has truly crossed over with this. After the first season, all independent movies became available on OTT. These were all very well welcomed “said he.
His newfound adoration for streamers endures. Recently, the actor was paired with Sharmila Tagore in the Disney Hotstar movie Gulmohar. In the third season of The Family Man, he will return as intelligence agent Shrikant Tiwari.
“People are raving about Gulmohar and how beautiful they found it everywhere. It is good that you are still adored at the age of 79 or 80, Sharmila ji added with great joy.
“I am pleased with it since I am doing independent movies, working occasionally with new filmmakers, and having complete faith in it. In the past, audience relations occasionally didn’t pan out. But in the end, all you can say is, “It’s just the right time,” he remarked.
With the release of The Family Man, most of Bajpayee’s films, including Mrs. Serial Killer, Quiet… Can You Hear It?, Dial 100, and Gulmohar, were distributed digitally.
Since the first season of The Family Man, several of my films have been released and have received a resoundingly positive response from OTT viewers. It gives me a tremendous sense of confidence or certainty that whatever I was doing, I was entirely correct “says he.
According to Bajpayee, OTT has restored his faith in indie film. “Yet, because to OTT, the audience has demonstrated one thing: If you approach me, I’ll watch it and let you know how I liked it. People talk about the performance and the movie.
In the post-pandemic period, the actor claims that it is important to distinguish between films intended for theaters and those intended for over-the-top viewing. “A film that has received a lot of publicity should have a high level of entertainment value if viewers want to watch it. When it comes to watching movies, India plays a whole other game.” They stated.
So, they watch these movies in large numbers now that they are available on OTT, demonstrating their love and trust. And as producers, we must be completely honest when deciding which movies to send to cinemas and which ones to stream online.
The Vaal – India’s Vaccination Tale, a documentary about the country’s experience with the COVID-19 vaccine, is Bajpayee’s most recent endeavor. He serves as the narrator. On Friday, Itihaas TV18 broadcast the world premiere of the movie, which vividly depicts the inner tale of how the Covid-19 vaccine’s vial was created.
The actor stated that he wishes to honor frontline workers’ contributions to the pandemic through this documentary. “The importance of honoring the unsung heroes cannot be overstated. We ought to produce more and more documentaries and motion pictures about them “said he.
“For instance, while a movie is being shot, it’s crucial for me to understand what your cameraman is doing, how long he spends standing still, and how many lightmen are involved. They each do their work in a unique way.” unsafe and unhealthful situation. The issue is that we do not appreciate other people’s efforts. Amazing timeline.
