Key Points

Actor Manoj Bajpayee, who started his acting career with brief roles in theatrical movies like 'Dastak', 'Drohkaal' and others, is now one of the bankable stars in Bollywood.

In recent years, the actor has established himself in the OTT space, thanks to his impressive performances in films and series such as 'Gulmohar', 'The Family Man', and 'Sirf Ek Bandaa Kaafi Hai', among others.

After starting his career in theatrical films and later shifting to the digital medium, the actor listed some key differences between the two platforms.

Compared to OTT, the 'Shool' actor said that theatrical films in India don't depend on talent. It instead takes the box office numbers as the measuring tools for its success.

While talking to ANI, Manoj Bajpayee credited streaming platforms with providing opportunities for artists in India, saying that, unlike mainstream cinema, OTT relies on intense storytelling and talent rather than box office performance.

"So I think OTT has been a blessing for talent. Films don't depend on talent in India, sadly. I am saying this with a sad heart. In India, most of the mainstream films don't depend on talent. They depend on the box office," said Manoj Bajpayee.

He said that mainstream cinema often takes a backseat when it comes to prioritising talent in making theatrical films.

"If the box office is good, then if the film is not of good quality, if there are no talented people in it, everyone gets work. But when it comes to casting, talent is not the biggest criterion," Bajpayee said.

Contrasting this with the digital space, the actor reflected on his OTT journey and described himself as one of the "beneficiaries" of the OTT platform.

"On OTT, it's the opposite. You need a good story and good talent. Only then does something move forward. And this is what I have seen for seven years. Since I did Family Man till now, this has completely surprised me. And I am one of the many beneficiaries of it," said Manoj Bajpayee.

As for the theatrical format, the actor noted that movies on this platform are not limited to just filming and acting but also include promotions to help the producer sell the maximum number of shows.

While talking to ANI, the actor said, "In the theatres, the struggle for acting does not end after the work is done. When I did an independent film or a small film, or whenever I do it, my work never ends with the film. Then I have to go to sell it. I have to help the producer for it to be released well. I have to get good shows. I have to run from one office to another."

While struggling to work on his kind of stories in theatres, Manoj Bajpayee believes that OTT has filled that void. He called it a "blessing" for actors like him who got versatile script choices due to the digital medium.

"There has been a lot of struggle in my life to make my kind of films. The OTT came as a blessing to an actor like me because it gave us choices. We could make the kind of films we wanted to make. Due to OTT, many actors from my generation, who might have got a break in films in the next 6-7 years, have been consumed by it immediately. It gave them choices," said Manoj Bajpayee.

Bajpayee, who has long been regarded as one of India's most versatile performers, said he feels "very happy" to see how OTT has reshaped the industry and broadened opportunities for actors.

Manoj Bajpayee will be next seen in the Netflix film 'Inspector Zende', alongside Jim Sarbh in the lead role. Loosely inspired by a true story, Inspector Zende is written and directed by Chinmay Mandlekar and produced by Jay Shewakramani and Om Raut.

Manoj Bajpayee leads as the sharp-witted Zende, locked in a tense game of cat and mouse with Jim Sarbh's charming yet elusive Carl Bhojraj.

While talking to ANI about his role as sociopath Carl Bhojraj, Jim Sarbh shared how he prepared for the role.

"This particular character had a very strong accent. So then the time gets spent in trying to figure out the accent, and trying to figure out the spirit of the character by watching the interviews, and trying to guess what may be going on in his mind, or what may not be going on in his mind," said Jim Sarbh.

Director Chinmay Mandlekar also opened up about the inspiration for the film.

"The inspiration for this film came from our producer, Ram Raut. His idea was to make a film on the adventure of Inspector Madhukar Zende, in which he caught an international criminal. He caught him once or twice. The world knows about the other side, the criminal, because films have been made about him. But the world knows very little about the person who caught him. So that was the beginning," said Chinmay Mandlekar

'Inspector Zende' will stream on Netflix from September 5.

- ANI