Manoj Bajpayee felt ‘guilty’ after Satya’s success, says Akshaye Khanna helped him

Actor Manoj Bajpayee faced a four-year wait and numerous minor roles before achieving his breakthrough with Ram Gopal Varma’s Satya. The film not only defined his career but also left a lasting impact on Bollywood, becoming one of the most influential Indian films. In a recent interview, Manoj revealed that he initially felt guilty and uncomfortable with the success of the film. It was Akshaye Khanna who helped him overcome these feelings, advising him not to feel guilty and to embrace his achievements.

The success of Satya catapulted Manoj to nationwide fame and earned him the National Film Award for Best Supporting Actor. However, he initially struggled to adjust to the sudden attention and success. Manoj recently shared that he felt out of place in five-star hotels and experienced impostor syndrome.

Akshaye Khanna helped him navigate this phase, advising him, “Manoj, why are you feeling so guilty about your success? Own it.” Manoj admitted to feeling uncomfortable with the newfound attention, having spent 25 years working without it.

Speaking to Midday, Manoj Bajpayee said, “You have not seen all of this for such a long period that you’re not used to it. People ask me, ‘Are you comfortable with the attention that you are getting?’ No, how can I be? I am very nice and polite to them, to expect me to be comfortable? No, for 25 years I hadn’t gotten that attention. (By the time I became a star) all others had been stars for 30 years or so. They wouldn’t know anything else.

In 2024, Manoj appeared in five projects, including a streaming series, most of which were released directly on OTT platforms. Among them was The Fable, which premiered at the 74th Berlin International Film Festival and is awaiting public release. He also starred in the Netflix black comedy crime thriller series Killer Soup alongside Konkona Sen Sharma. His other films included Silence 2: The Night Owl Bar Shootout, Bhaiyya Ji, and Despatch.