Manoj Bajpayee recalls old days, says a 'top heroine' told him he's not 'good-looking'

Actor Manoj Bajpayee revealed that a leading lady in Bollywood once told him that he was not good-looking during his struggling days. The actor, however, did not take it personally since the idea was already ingrained in him.

Hyderabad: Bollywood actor Manoj Bajpayee has made a place for himself in the film industry after he debuted in 1994 with the action-adventure film Bandit Queen. But he has had his fair share of adversities and triumphs in a career spread across nearly three decades. Recently, in an interview, the actor recalled a time when he felt really insecure about himself.

In a recent interview, Bajpayee revealed that a well-known actress had criticized his appearance when he was struggling. The idea was so ingrained in Manoj that he did not take it personally. "In life, I was very under-confident, but on stage, it was the opposite," said the multiple National Award-winning actor who has more than 60 movies to his credit.

Recalling his initial days in the industry, Manoj said that even Yash Chopra had told him that he wouldn't cast him in his subsequent films after Veer Zara because he didn't fit the style of film that he produced. The actor found Chopra's honesty and frankness quite adorable and he preferred that over dishonesty.

Manoj may have been surprised for this reason when Shyam Benegal cast him in Zubeidaa. The actor did not believe he was a royal in waiting. In our culture, the appearance of the heroes is what defines good looks, thus Manoj is grateful to Benegal for placing him with Karisma Kapoor in Zubeidaa. The actor went through a number of situations that caused him to lack confidence, but thanks to his journey to this point, that is no longer the case!