Manoj Bajpayee says he has been typified as a ‘middle class’ person

Actor Manoj Bajpayee recently revealed that even after decades in showbiz, he still falls prey to stereotypes. He stated that till date, no director considers him for “rich boy” roles, and that he has instead been typecast for middle-class and lower-middle-class characters.

Bajpayee told Bombay Times that the only films in which he has played a rich person are Zubeidaa (2001), Veer Zaara (2004) and Gulmohar (2023). “That was Shyam Benegal’s belief. He was the one who felt that real maharajas were not Greek gods. They looked normal. In Veer-Zaara, I played a politician from Pakistan. I had two scenes in it, but Yashji (Chopra) insisted that I do it. He cast me after seeing Pinjar (2003). These filmmakers had that vision that comes from seeing life up close,” he said.

Bajpayee further said, “The roles I played were mostly in middle-class and lower-middle-class stories. I am never considered for roles in the upper echelons. No director could consider me as a rich man, except the two stalwarts I mentioned. This stereotype exists.”

Bajpayee was last seen in the commercial entertainer Bhaiyya Ji, in which he played the role of a retired criminal who wanted to take revenge for his brother’s death. He has also acted in films like Sirf Ek Bandaa Kaafi Hai, Joram, Aligarh, Gangs of Wasseypur, Special 26, and many more.

Not only that, but Bajpayee has also been making waves in the OTT space with projects like The Family Man, Ray and Killer Soup. He will soon be seen in the much-awaited second instalment of The Family Man.