Manoj Bajpayee says nobody offered him a complex love story in three decades

Actor Manoj Bajpayee, during the promotion of Last Man in Tower which released on ZEE5, opened up about why he has rarely been seen in romantic films despite spending three decades in the industry. In an exclusive conversation with India Today, the actor revealed that he has always wanted to be part of a complex love story but has never received the right offer.Interestingly, Manoj believes that the industry still has reservations about casting unconventional-looking actors in romantic roles. The actor, who is open to exploring a middle-aged romance, also spoke about why filmmakers need to stop assuming what audiences want to watch.Speaking exclusively with India Today, Manoj recalled being asked why he doesn't do romantic films. He said, "Someone asked me, 'Why don't you do a romantic film?' I said, 'Darling, you know, three decades!' And it never seemed to me that the director or writer were interested enough to give me an offer of a romantic film."The actor mentioned that he has never doubted his ability to portray romance on screen. However, he has always wanted something beyond a conventional love story. "I know how to play a romantic guy. I know how to romance. Maybe I was looking for something beyond just a romantic film because I'm not somebody who will easily fall for a single template. A very complex love story is what I always looked for, but nobody offered it to me. One or two happened, but somehow those films couldn't see the light of day, or they didn't even start," he said.At this stage of his career, Manoj feels a middle-aged romance would be an interesting space to explore. "At this point in time, you can only think of a middle-aged love story. And in a country where unconventional-looking actors cannot even have a choice of doing a romantic film, how can they think of a middle-aged guy doing romance for this audience?" he added.The actor said, "Directors and writers are as good as the society is, right? So, I'm always hoping that somebody would come up with something really unique and complex, a middle-aged story."When asked whether audiences were now becoming more accepting of such stories, Manoj agreed, but only to an extent. According to him, the problem also lies with the creative minds who decide what audiences are willing to watch."To some extent. Somewhere, we are also responsible as creative people for restricting ourselves, thinking that the audience is not ready. The people who are responsible for creating these roles or these stories are, I would say, at fault because they are taking the responsibility of knowing the audience. I think that's where we are going wrong. This is where we are going wrong," he added.The actor added that this mindset often prevents filmmakers from taking the first step towards telling unconventional stories and breaking existing barriers.For Manoj, one filmmaker who has consistently challenged these restrictions is Anurag Kashyap."The only person who has done it all this while is Anurag Kashyap. Somebody has to have that kind of rebellion. Anurag Kashyap is the only person in my life, till now, that I have seen who never tried to stop himself from expressing. Only that kind of a rebellious mind can think of writing some great relationships," he said.Praising the filmmaker further, Manoj added, "He has broken a lot of barriers. The moment you tell him, 'Don't do this,' he will do exactly that. I like that in Anurag. That's why I love him. That aspect of Anurag Kashyap is something I really admire."During the conversation, Manoj also spoke about his earlier remark that only 25 per cent of his acting potential had been explored. When asked whether filmmakers were hesitant to approach him with challenging roles, the actor responded with a joke. "Really? I don't think they are hesitant. It's just that they hear that I am charging this much, so they are scared," the actor said.On a serious note, he explained that even after spending so many years in the industry, he continues to discover new aspects of himself as an actor."Jokes apart, I know that there are a lot of possibilities hidden in me. I know that because whenever there is a very, very difficult and challenging one in front of me, I try to give everything to it. And in turn, I surprise myself. So, that means those many things are there that need to be tapped," the 57-year-old said."But for that, one lifetime is never enough. I am passionate about this craft, and this passion doesn't seem to be dying. So, that's why I say that it's only 25 per cent that I can see I will be able to tap in this lifetime," Manoj concluded.Manoj's new film, Last Man in Tower is based on Aravind Adiga’s bestselling novel of the same name. The Ben Rekhi directorial features actors Divya Dutta, Boman Irani, Sukant Goel, Harish Khanna, Chandan Roy Sanyal, Ujjwal Chopra and Swaroopa Ghosh in key roles.India Today, in its review for the film, wrote, "At around 97 minutes, the film lands in a sweet spot. It is crisp without feeling rushed and faithful to Adiga’s book without becoming a literal translation of it. The ending is heartbreaking, particularly for those unfamiliar with the book. It leaves you with a more uncomfortable question: at what point does the pursuit of a dream become greed, and at what point does standing by your principles become selfishness?"The film released on ZEE5 on September 11, 2026.- Ends