I am at my best behavior when acting: Manoj Bajpayee

<p id="content">He insists that there is nothing to prove, that he acts because he is constantly fascinated by this craft. "I am in love with it and at my best behavior when acting. I am in my best mood when I am preparing for a role. I love the process, the struggle to grow, evolve, to hone my craft all the time. It is a pure love story between me and the craft," says actor Manoj Bajpayee who will soon be seen in the second season of 'Family Man'.</p>
Adding that the second season will witness the change in his character and circumstances, Bajpayee says, "Personally, I feel that season 2 is far more intense and gripping. It has a very interesting plot and therefore promises a completely different experience for the audience. If they loved part one, the second season is bound to blow them away. This is going to be quite a roller-coaster ride of adventure, thrill and humor. Also, the family situation is quite different this time."

The actor who is completely booked for the upcoming year, considering the work slated for the year 2020 has also shifted to next year smiles that he would not even have time to fall sick for a day in the year 2021. "Yes, it is going to be almost 365 days of work. I have told myself to just go ahead and jump into the crazy routine, let's see how I emerge out it. However, considering the quality of work, I am certain that the outcome will be quite satisfactory."

Bajpayee, who did theatre for several years in Delhi with groups including 'Act One' before moving to films, does miss the thrill of being on the stage. "Theatre, being an actor's medium challenges you physically, emotionally and creatively, not to mention how instrumental it is in shaping you as a human being. Once you have been on stage, it is seldom possible to derive the same satisfaction with any other medium, especially cinema which is mainly a medium driven by the director's vision. Yes, I feel like going back to it and I keep talking to some of my theatre director friends. At this point, it is not really possible to give out any date, time or deadline. However, whenever I get the luxury of time, I will take two months of my time. For now, my dates are completely overbooked."

This two-time National Award-winning actor, who has collaborated with the 'I Believe #ArtMatters' initiative that will witness major performers come together to help raise funds for the country's art community affected by Covid-19, says, "As an actor, I completely understand the plight of the artist community who are not getting to perform, something which has hindered normal life for them. I wanted to contribute in some way, thus the association. It is quite an alarming situation for the artist community which has not been able to perform for months now."

Hoping that OTT platforms continue to experiment and collaborate with independent filmmakers, Bajpayee adds: "They are slowly showing some signs of going mainstream. Let's not forget that those who watch content on digital platforms are 'trained' to absorb original stuff. Content and the performances are what have become the main pull for the audiences. I just hope these platforms continue to celebrate originality or they will completely lose charm."

Bajpayee, who continues to work with new directors, feels that the same is always thrilling considering the fact that these youngsters have grown up watching films across the world and are therefore not apprehensive to experiment. "Their exposure is amazing. It is pertinent for me as an actor to keep growing and keep evolving. For that, I need to keep associating myself with new content, and that comes from new directors and writers. They challenge me. They don't let me be at ease even on the shoot. I love it as my limitations are broken. Sometimes, I get surprised by my willingness to change myself, to adapt with changing patterns of performance, changing its very definition.It is very very crucial for any artist to keep evolving, to keep observing the work of new actors.".