Manoj Bajpayee talked about the complexities of being an actor at the International Film Festival of India (IFFI) 2024. He said that it is a difficult task to play another person on screen. In a conversation with Sudhir Srinivasan at the festival, Manoj talked about how he likes to get completely into his characters in order to perform truthfully and how that often takes a toll on his mind. “The bruises of all the characters I have played till now are still there in my head. When playing certain characters, actors do become quieter and observe people rather than talking. And when I play these characters, I throw myself completely into it. That has definitely left a mark on my mind. My moodiness and desperate seeking of silences is perhaps because of playing so many different characters.”

The actor also reflected on loving the process of acting and what makes him enjoy it. “It is the love of the craft that lets me do all this. I like it when playing a character gives me sleepless nights. I start my day thinking of it, sometimes even getting up at 4 in the morning. I feel better at the set than at home,” he quipped.

Even after working in the industry for decades, Manoj still thinks of himself as a newcomer. “With every film that I do, I feel like I don’t know anything. I am just fascinated with the craft of acting and the more I do it, the more I find difficulty in it. Everyone thinks that acting is easy. But it is the most difficult job in the world to play another person on-screen.”

Manoj was last seen in actioner Bhaiyya Ji. He will be seen next in Kanu Behl’s Despatch, which will be released soon on ZEE5.