Manoj Bajpayee: We actors are not so bothered about laying certain age

Mumbai, Sep 6 (AHN) National Award-winning actor Manoj Bajpayee, who is awaiting the release of his upcoming film ‘Last Man in Tower’, has shared that actors are not bothered about playing a certain age on the screen.

The actor spoke with AHN along with actress Divya Dutta and director Ben Rekhi during the promotions of the film in the Andheri West area of Mumbai.

He told AHN, “Playing a certain age is not something that we actors are so bothered about. What we are mostly bothered about is the layers that we can touch, the depth of the character. All the characters are like an onion, like a human being. To find those layers is a very difficult thing. There is a backstory, there is a characterization. You go through the script. So the script is showing you so many ideas. And on that basis, you are, you know, jotting it down and you are trying to make a backstory, which is full of grays, full of nuances and full of layers”.

He further mentioned that the real job for an actor starts with the shoot because things happen in real time during the shoot as they have to make minor tweaks along the way or change gears as per the demand of the film while the narrative is shaping up during the shoot.

He further mentioned, “But still, there are many layers you find out when you're doing it. Just the setting, the energy of the co-actor, the manner she is, you know, tackling her character. It is actually forcing you or compelling you to open up more as an actor, more as a performer. So there, and the way they are treating my character is also giving me an idea to have a few more layers to it. So it's an ongoing process. Acting never stops. The whole process never stops before shooting”.

“It actually starts taking off with the shoot, and sometimes in a very new direction, where preparation actually didn't, didn't go at all. The journey into the unknown is something I find quite fascinating. First, you are scared that you have to take a plunge into this dark hole. But once you are there, you start enjoying it”, he added.

‘Last Man in Tower’ is set to release in cinemas on September 11, 2026.