Manoj Bajpayee says ‘Mumbai doesn’t feel like home’ despite living for 30 years 

Manoj Bajpayee

Seasoned actor Manoj Bajpayee, was one of the many dreamers who came to Mumbai to make it big in the entertainment industry. On the latest episode of Mid-day's podcast series Bombay Film Story, the actor, who set an example of how an outsider can survive in the industry despite various challenges, speaks about his relationship with the city.

Manoj Bajpayee on his relationship with Mumbai

When asked to describe his relationship with the city, Manoj Bajpayee states, "It's very neutral. I'm like an observer who is also working here. It can't be love, it can't be hate because I came from Bihar to Delhi, then Delhi University, and theatre, then I came to Mumbai. I always felt like a refugee going from one place to another. Maybe not finding a home where you can think of going back for years. That has never made me feel sentimental."

He adds, "I stayed in my village in Bihar for eighteen and a half years, stayed in Delhi for ten years, and I've been in this city for about thirty years. I don't feel comfortable saying that I'm going home, to my apartment. For me, home was my parents, village house. My apartment, where my daughter was born, I still don't call it home. 'Main flat pe ja raha joon'."

Manoj Bajpayee on Delhi Vs Mumbai debate

After spending a significant amount of time in two metros, Manoj explains, "Delhi is not truly cosmopolitan. It is still hanging between an urban mindset and a rural mindset. Also, it is surrounded by rural India. The people who have been shifting to Delhi. They're all coming from rural areas like Bihar or UP. They also brought only that culture and that behaviour pattern. They started creating their own bubble as it happens in big cities. Nobody was ready to embrace the metropolitan culture of Delhi. But Mumbai is very cosmopolitan. It is truly a place where if you don't have money you will struggle to find your next food. Nobody knows nobody. That way Delhi is still pokey."

Manoj Bajpayee, who got a major break in films with 'Satya', has now 100 movies in his filmography which clearly shows the longevity of his career. He will next be seen in the third season of the web series ‘The Family Man'.