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'I am only cast in middle-class roles', Manoj Bajpayee falls prey to stereotyping
Manoj Bajpayee: Manoj Bajpayee, in a recent interview, lamented that he is cast in characters from middle-class or poor stories and is never shown in the role of a rich person.
Manoj Bajpayee is one of Bollywood's self-made actors. His talent and hard work have helped him establish himself as a brilliant actor. He recently received a Special Mention for the '70th National Film Award'. Manoj has spoken openly about his film career and acknowledged that he, too, was a victim of stereotyping. The actor stated that he is only offered roles in the middle or lower classes.
Manoj Bajpayee, in a recent interview with Bombay Times, lamented that he is cast in characters from middle-class or poor stories and is never shown in the role of a rich person. He said, "The only film before Gulmohar in which I played a rich man was Zubeida. It was Shyam Benegal's belief. In Veer-Zara, I played a Pakistani politician. I had two scenes in it, but Yashji was adamant that I do it. He cast me after watching Pinjar."
Manoj said that the filmmakers were quite confused about showing him as a rich man. These filmmakers had the vision that came from seeing life closely. The rest have trouble showing me rich. The roles I played were either based on the story of a middle class or a poor person. No director can see me in the role of a rich man. This stereotyping still exists in the industry.
