Personal details
- Birth Date: 1969-04-23
- Height: 5′ 7¾″ (1.72 m)
- Birth Location: Belwa, Bihar, India
- Parents: Radhakant Bajpai
- Professions: Actor, Producer, Music Department
Manoj Bajpayee, honestly, the guy’s a powerhouse. Born into a big family—second of six, so you can imagine the chaos—and money? Yeah, not much of that growing up. But this dude had that itch for acting since he caught Zanjeer back in ’73. Started off hustling in theater and TV, picking up scraps, doing tiny roles. His big screen journey kicked off in 1994 with Droh Kaal, then Bandit Queen—barely blink and you'll miss him. But Satya in ’98? That changed everything. People didn’t even think it'd work at first, but Bajpayee just—bam—owned it. Suddenly everybody’s talking about him. He’s not your typical pretty-boy hero. He picks messy, complicated roles—gangsters, cops, the oddball journalist, whatever. There’s a rawness to his performances that’s kind of rare. The guy’s filmography is wild: Satya, Shool, Pinjar, Special Chabbis, Aligarh, Sonchiriya—the list keeps growing. And let’s not forget Gangs of Wasseypur, Raajneeti, Satyameva Jayate, and The Family Man, which blew up on streaming. Even in stuff like Despatch, Joram, and Gulmohar, he just slips into these layered characters like it’s nothing. Awards? Please. National Film Awards, Filmfares, and even the Padma Shri. But he isn’t just about the glitz—Bajpayee’s big on charity, talks about migrants’ issues, and always speaks up on real stuff. Married Shabana Raza in 2006, and they’ve got a daughter. All in all, he’s not just acting for the fame. He’s there for the craft, and it shows.
Let’s talk about a guy who’s a total legend in Indian cinema—seriously, he’s bagged not one but two National Film Awards. We’re talking best actor for Pinjar in 2003 and best supporting actor for Satya back in ’99. That’s no small feat, trust me. Pinjar, now there’s a heavy film—set during the partition, it’s all about loss, identity, and survival. He just nails the role, brings this raw vulnerability that hits you right in the gut. Flip over to Satya and you get a whole different vibe—gritty, dark, classic Mumbai underworld stuff. His performance? Iconic. He doesn’t just act; he disappears into the character, so much that you forget you’re watching someone on screen. It’s wild to see someone pull off such different roles and crush it every time. Not many actors can say they’ve done that. Dude’s got serious range.
April 23, 1969
5′ 7¾″ (1.72 m)
Konidela Ram Charan
Belwa, Bihar, India
Yes, Ava Nayla
Radhakant Bajpai and Surekha
56 years old