Manoj Bajpayee

Manoj Bajpayee (also transliterated as Manoj Bajpai), born on 23 April 1969 in Belwa, a small village in West Champaran, Bihar, India, is one of the most acclaimed actors in Indian cinema. After boarding a train alone at the age of 17 to Delhi, he aspired to join the National School of Drama but faced repeated rejection—four times in fact—before continuing his craft through theatre while studying at Delhi University

His film debut came in 1994 with small roles in Drohkaal and Bandit Queen. However, his breakthrough arrived in 1998 when he portrayed the gangster Bhiku Mhatre in Ram Gopal Varma’s Satya—a performance that won him both the National Film Award for Best Supporting Actor and the Filmfare Critics Award for Best Actor

Throughout the late 1990s and early 2000s, Manoj delivered standout performances in Kaun? (1999), Shool (1999)—earning another Filmfare Critics Award for Best Actor—and the critically praised Pinjar (2003), which garnered him a Special Jury Award at the National Film Awards

Despite some quieter periods, he made a strong comeback with impactful roles in Raajneeti (2010), Gangs of Wasseypur (2012), Chakravyuh (2012), Special 26 (2013), and Aligarh (2015)—the latter winning him another Filmfare Critics Award and the Asia Pacific Screen Award for Best Actor

In 2020, his leading role in Bhonsle earned him the National Film Award for Best Actor Further proving his versatility, as of 2019 he took on the role of Srikant Tiwari in the acclaimed OTT thriller series The Family Man, earning him a Filmfare OTT Award in 2021

His work continued with the 2023 Disney+ Hotstar film Gulmohar, and he received a Special Mention at the 70th National Film Awards for his performanceIn 2024, he starred in the Indo–American co-production The Fable, which premiered at the Berlinale and won several festival awards

In recognition of his cinematic contributions, the Government of India conferred upon him the Padma Shri in 2019To date, he has earned four National Film Awards, four Filmfare Awards (including Critics Awards), and two Asia Pacific Screen Awards

Beyond the screen, Manoj Bajpayee is known for his unwavering commitment to storytelling. He once said that he embraces every film with conviction, regardless of commercial success—even “flop films” are embraced as long as they resonate emotionally His personal journey—from extreme hardship in Mumbai, where he sometimes couldn’t afford a simple meal, to becoming a celebrated actor—is often cited as a powerful inspiration.