Bollywood veteran Manoj Bajpayee is known for his impeccable acting prowess and versatile roles on the silver screen. However, the journey to success has not been without its share of challenges and setbacks. In a recent interview, the acclaimed actor candidly recalled facing criticism and racism in the early days of his career.
Bajpayee, who is gearing up for the release of his 100th film, “Bhaiyya Ji,” opened up about the biased reviews he received post the success of his breakthrough film “Satya.” Reflecting on his initial days in the film industry, he revealed how critics labeled him as a “porn star” following the release of the film “Fareh” in 2005, which also starred Shilpa Shetty and Shamita Shetty.
Recalling the harsh criticism, Bajpayee expressed his dismay at being unfairly targeted by reviewers. “The film wasn’t well made and it failed, it happens sometimes. Somebody wrote, ‘Now Bhikhu Matre of Satya has become a porn star.’ That hurt me, it really offended me. No reviewer has the right to go that dirty. You can talk about my film, how it is made. How does that make me a porn star? There is nothing I did in that film to suggest that,” he lamented.
The 53-year-old actor also shed light on facing racism in the industry, particularly in reviews that criticized his appearance. Despite receiving praise for his performance in the film “Zubeida,” Bajpayee revealed that critics had questioned his suitability for the role, citing biased opinions about his appearance. “Some critics wrote ‘He’s good but he doesn’t fit the role, he’s good but he doesn’t look like a prince.’ I thought these people are so liberal and evolved that they do not realise they are such big racists. They were too racist,” he stated.