Manoj Bajpayee recalls he and SRK used to share cigarettes during theater days

Early Days in Theatre: Sharing Struggles and Cigarettes

Both Manoj Bajpayee and Shah Rukh Khan, two of Bollywood’s biggest stars, started their acting journeys together in Delhi! They were part of the same theatre group before entering the film industry.

In a recent interview, Manoj remembered their time in the theatre group. Back then, money was tight for everyone, and cigarettes were a luxury. Nobody could afford to smoke a whole cigarette by themselves. So, whenever someone had a cigarette, they would share it with a few other people in the group, sometimes even splitting it between four!

Manoj also shared that Shah Rukh Khan wasn’t with the group for as long as him. Shah Rukh Khan moved to Mumbai to pursue acting in Bollywood sooner, while Manoj stayed on for a longer time. Eventually, Manoj too made the move to Mumbai after working in the movie “Bandit Queen” directed by Shekhar Kapur.

Manoj Bajpayee’s Recent Work

This year, 2024, Manoj Bajpayee started off with a bang on the OTT platform (online streaming services) with the release of “Silence 2: The Night Owl Bar Shootout.” This film is the sequel to the 2021 movie “Silence” and features Manoj reprising his role of ACP Avinash Verma. The movie started streaming on ZEE5 on April 16, 2024.

Currently, Manoj is in the news for his latest film “Bhaiyya Ji.” This movie holds a special place in his career as it’s his 100th film! It also reunites him with director Apoorv Singh Karki, with whom he previously worked on the movie “Sirf Ek Bandaa Kaafi Hai.” “Bhaiyya Ji” hit theaters on May 24, 2024.