Manoj Bajpayee rejuvenates his career with ‘The Fable,’ ‘Despatch,’ and ‘The Family Man’
Riding high on the festival circuit
Manoj Bajpayee, an actor renowned for his versatility and compelling performances, is currently basking in the glow of critical acclaim with his film The Fable making waves on the festival circuit. Following its debut at the Berlinale, the film is now slated for screenings at both Valladolid’s SEMINCI and the MAMI Mumbai Film Festival.
The intriguing plot of ‘The Fable’
In The Fable, Bajpayee portrays Dev, the patriarch of a seemingly idyllic family owning a vast Himalayan orchard estate. However, their tranquil life is disrupted by a series of mysterious fires, prompting questions about their true identities. Raam Reddy, known for his previous success with Thithi, directs this captivating drama, which struck a particularly personal chord with Bajpayee during his own period of spiritual transition.
“This was the film that happened to me just when I was transitioning into a more spiritual realm of life, and my mind was in no mood to get stuck into this ambition mode and the goal mode,” Bajpayee shares.
Connecting with the character’s struggles
Bajpayee felt an immediate resonance with his character, Dev. He explains, “I could relate to it. I could understand what Dev was going through, the struggle and the conflict of Dev. He was getting sucked into the materialistic part of life, which he’s inherited from his father and grandfather.”
The actor faced unique challenges in depicting Dev’s internal struggles. According to Bajpayee, “It’s your silence which has to convey a lot of things – the conflict, the desire to completely detach from the surrounding events, and yet the inability to let go.”
Challenges during pandemic shooting
The Fable was filmed under the constraints of the COVID-19 pandemic, adding an extra layer of complexity to its production. Despite these challenges, the film has garnered significant international recognition, which Bajpayee treasures. “More than this word called ‘international,’ my audience is getting wider and wider. It’s such a great feeling that most of your films are being shown in one prestigious film festival or the other.”
‘Despatch’: A thrilling new venture
Meanwhile, Bajpayee’s upcoming film Despatch, directed by Kanu Behl – acclaimed for titles such as Titli and Agra – is set to premiere at the Mumbai Film Festival. In this thriller, Bajpayee plays a tabloid journalist grappling with the threats of digitalization and a mid-life crisis. Thrust into uncontrollable events, his character’s journey promises intense drama and suspense.
Manoj Bajpayee in “Despatch” at the Mumbai Film Festival
Praised for Behl’s rigorous approach, Bajpayee says, “Kanu Behl is a one-of-a-kind director. Each and every young actor should really line up outside his office to at least work with him once in their lifetime. The workshops and takes he makes you go through all boil down to an unparalleled experience of filmmaking and performance.”
Accolades and ongoing success with ‘The Family Man’
Bajpayee’s career is also marked by prestigious awards. He has been honored with the Asia Pacific Screen Awards for Bhonsle and Aligarh, and has received National Film Awards in India for films including Pinjar and Satya. Furthermore, his popularity soared with the Amazon Prime Video series The Family Man, where he shines as Srikant Tiwari, a middle-class salaryman secretly working as an intelligence officer.
Bajpayee teases fans about the much-anticipated Season 3, which is currently filming. “Season 3 is going to be far bigger, and the story is far more complicated this time. Srikant Tiwari is in a much, much bigger soup, and now he has to come out of it, to save himself, his family, and his job.”
New horizons: A cross-continental drama
Beyond his prolific work in Indian cinema, Bajpayee recently wrapped an untitled Indo-American project directed by Ben Rekhi (Watch List). Commenting on the project, Bajpayee notes, “It’s a drama, a story set in India, but told very differently, because the director is from the U.S. so his lens is going to be very, very different.”
Manoj Bajpayee’s journey continues to captivate audiences worldwide. His ability to embody diverse roles and connect deeply with his characters makes him a standout figure in contemporary cinema. Spread the word about his latest ventures and stay tuned for more updates on his evolving career.