New Delhi:
Actor Manoj Bajpayee says seeing beyond his looks required the talent of Shyam Benegal, who never imagined himself playing a royal role and did so in the 2001 film. Zubaida After the filmmaker explained it to him.
Benegal, who started the art house cinema movement in the country with films like Market And sprout, He died in Mumbai on Monday evening, just nine days after his 90th birthday.
The actor met Benegal a few years after he played mafia don Bhiku Mhatre in the 1998 crime classic. Truth By Ram Gopal Varma.
“He sent me a message through Ram Gopal Varma. And Varma said only one thing to me, ‘Shyam Benegal wants to work with you. He wants to cast you in some role. I don’t know what the film is about. But you” We won’t refuse any of his offers.
It should be our respect and honor towards that filmmaker, so you are going to say yes. You won’t say ‘no’. “And I am so grateful to Ram Gopal Varma that I decided that whatever he gives me, I will do,” Bajpayee told PTI in a recent interview.
So the actor said yes to Benegal’s film, but when he came to know that the role was of Fatehpur prince Vijayendra Singh opposite Karisma Kapoor, he was surprised.
“It was his genius that he saw me beyond my looks. He was sure that Manoj Bajpayee would do the role. It was I who was doubting it. He told me, ‘These are pictures of all the kings of India. Are.” And you tell me whether you look better than him or not.
“He did this to reassure me about the casting. I was very skeptical about his casting,” the 55-year-old said.
Zubaida was a learning curve for Bajpayee as an artist, which was crucial in changing the public perception of what he could do.
Manoj Bajpayee shared a picture of himself, Karisma Kapoor and the legendary director from the sets of the film on his X handle. Condoling his demise, Manoj Bajpayee wrote, “A heartbreaking loss for Indian cinema. Shyam Benegal was not just a legend, he was a visionary who redefined storytelling and inspired generations.
Working with him in Zubaida was a transformative experience for me, exposing me to his unique style of storytelling and nuanced understanding of performance.”
He added, “I will always be grateful for the lessons I learned under his direction. It was an utmost honor to have the opportunity to work with him. His legacy will live on in the stories he told and the lives he touched ” May your soul rest in peace Shyam Babu, Om Shanti.”
A heartbreaking loss for Indian cinema. Shyam Benegal was not just a legend, he was a visionary who redefined the genre of storytelling and inspired generations. Working with him on Zubaida was a transformative experience for me, introducing me to his unique style and nuances of storytelling… pic.twitter.com/EH0eosqkAR
-Manoj Bajpayee (@BajpayeeManoj) 23 December 2024
Throughout his career, Benegal has received numerous awards, including the Padma Shri, the Padma Bhushan, and the Dadasaheb Phalke Award, India’s highest honor in cinema.
Benegal has been awarded the National Film Award for Best Feature Film in Hindi seven times and received the V Shantaram Lifetime Achievement Award in 2018.
